Smug Marrieds
by parttimeficwriter
Summary: Harry and Ruth go undercover to stop an act of terror.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Spooks or anything to do with it, more's the pity. This is a wip but I'll try an update soon. I made up the name of the suspected terror group and mean no offence to anyone who may be in a similiarly titled group. Please don't sue me, I don't have any money.**

_**This fic is for Em, she's been working hard for her exams and I promised a reward...**_

The sound of raised voices echoed across the grid but no one flinched at the sound: loud conversations between Harry Pearce and Juliet Shaw were all too familiar occurrences. Ruth only looked up from her computer and towards Harry's office as she heard the door open and the voices become clearer.

"I'm not happy about this Juliet"

"We all have our crosses to bare Harry" with that she left his office and headed across the grid.

Harry watched her go and briefly indulged himself by plotting her demise. Shaking himself out of it, he surveyed the grid and wasn't surprised to find Ruth looking at him. Their eyes met briefly before she looked away and carried on with her work. The small look that passed between them did more to calm and comfort Harry than he would like to admit. He wasn't sure when exactly she had started to have such an influence on him, but he did know that no-one had ever managed to make him feel the way Ruth did with just one look. He retreated to his office, shaking his head. There was no use mooning about over Ruth when he had a job to do.

Ten minutes later the team was assembled in the meeting room. No one looked happy about the prospect of an added field operation which, to all intents and purposes, was a glorified baby sitting exercise.

"I take it we still have to do the operation" Adam asked

Harry nodded slowly "There is one small change of plan. Since I can't afford to take any of you off the operations that we are already running, I, _apparently_, will be doing the baby sitting."

Harry wasn't certain if he was amused or annoyed at the surprised looks that all but two of his officers were wearing. Adam just nodded briefly in acceptance. He knew that Harry had been a brilliant field agent and didn't doubt that he could still pull it off. Ruth just looked concerned. Harry assumed, and rather hoped, the concern was for his welfare and not related to his field ability.

"Tell me everything I need to know" Harry said wearily

"Well, Matthew Hightower - successful businessman both here and in the US. In fact he's very popular in America; he is a staunch Catholic and is a pro-life supporter. He has given sizeable donations to a number of pro-life organizations. Most recent of those was to a group calling themselves Save the Unbornbegan Adam.

Ruth picked up the thread and continued: "It seems our man got himself involved with this group on a legitimate basis. However, GCHQ picked up some chatter indicating that the group is frustrated at not being taken seriously and intend to raise their profile. We don't know when or what they intend to do. Matthew Hightower is our only clear link to the group's main activists."

"I'd better make myself his new best friend then." Harry tried not to let the bitterness he felt creep into his voice. It was bad enough that he had to go along with this operation to appease Juliet: chatter like this was flagged up every day. Whilst Harry agreed that the group needed to be monitored he didn't feel the urgency to warrant a full-scale operation.

"Hightower is attending a charity benefit in the City tonight, allowing us the perfect opportunity to make contact with him"

Harry nodded his agreement before looking at Malcolm "I'll need a new legend Malcolm"

"Consider it done"

"Right, if that's it I'd better go and arrange someone to look after my dog whilst I'm away. Adam, you're in charge in my absence, try not to let Juliet take over the building whilst I'm gone."

Harry had reached the door to the briefing room when the sound of Adam's voice stopped him.

"You need a wife Harry"

He turned slowly on his heel to look at his young charge. He had a feeling he knew _exactly_ what was going to come next. Adam tried not to grin as he announced his candidate.

"Congratulations Ruth, you've just become the next Mrs. Pearce"

Suddenly aware of several pairs of eyes on her, Ruth took a deep breath, braved a brief look at Harry and remarked in a voice much calmer than she felt, "And they say romance is dead!?"

Amused at her comment and surprised at how quickly she had managed to recover from her initial shock, Harry allowed himself a small smile whilst he fought to maintain his own composure.

"You'd better go home and pack a few things, Ruth" she nodded and followed him out of the briefing room, her mind spinning at the rapid turn of events.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_How on earth do you get yourself into these things Ruth?_ she screamed mentally as she hurriedly packed a number of things into a relatively large suitcase, dashing about the house trying not to forget anything that she might need. She had absolutely no idea what to pack. How on earth she was supposed to prepare for spending an unspecified amount of time living with her boss, who she was secretly in love with _and_ manage not to get either of them killed _whilst_ still keep her true feelings under wraps, she didn't know. She had spent the last ten minutes rooting through the drawers in her dresser trying to find some nightwear that would be appropriate. Something not too sexy or revealing but not something that made her look frumpy either. Getting increasingly frustrated with the situation Ruth grabbed two pairs of silk pyjamas and stuffed them into the suitcase.

Opening her underwear drawer she point blank refused to let her mind wander. She tried to block out the incessant voice in her head that pointed out that she had only selected her best bras and pants. She supposed it was a bit like the old adage about wearing clean underwear in case you get run over by a bus: if there was even the remotest chance of Harry Pearce seeing her underwear, she was going to make damn sure it was nice underwear. Throwing a final few things into the case, she called it a day and set about trying to get it to shut, which, it turned out, was easier said than done.

Across the city, Harry was having an easier time of it. He packed quickly and efficiently, only taking the bare essentials with him. He almost wished that his packing had taken longer because now all he could do was think. His mind was still trying to wrap itself around the fact that he was going to be living with Ruth. As a couple. The thought filled him with both giddy excitement and dread. In one way this could be an opportunity to get close to her on a personal level; learn about her life, her habits. It might provide him with the chance to open up to her, to tell her how he felt. On the other hand it had the potential to be a complete disaster. Seeing how they were two of the most stubborn and emotionally backwards people he knew, he was aware it was more than likely to be the latter. Annoyed with himself for wasting time, Harry picked up his small hold-all and left for the grid.

_---_

At the sound of the pod doors opening Harry broke off from his conversation with Adam and looked up to see Ruth struggling to get herself and an enormous suitcase out of the pod cubicle. She looked mildly pissed off as one of the wheels came off in the process.

"Stupid thing" she exclaimed loudly, earning her several amused glances.

Harry's voice cut across the laughter as he shouted "Bloody hell Ruth. We're not emigrating!"

She rolled her eyes at him and made her way across to where he and Adam were stood

"Is that any way to greet your new wife?"

Tilting his head slightly to one side he quirked his eyebrow at her before murmuring "I'll work on it"

Adam watched the exchange with interest and made a mental note to see if Zaf was running a book on how long it would take before one of them admitted to the other how they felt.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I have to go and meet Juliet" he looked pointedly at Harry who was trying not to smirk "Malcolm is waiting for you with the legends."

---

Malcolm had certainly been busy. He provided them both with fully backstopped legends and everything they could possibly need to convince the world they were a legitimately married couple. James and Jessica Walker.

Harry had been a little less than enthusiastic with the details of his legend and didn't hesitate to mention it to Malcolm.

"Do you realise my initials spell the word Jaw?"

"There are far worse words they could spell Harry" Malcolm muttered before returning to the task in hand.

Ruth saw the glare Harry directed at Malcolm and tried to intervene "Personally I'm just glad that it's not Mr. and Mrs. Giles Farmer." She paused as Harry looked at her questioningly "I'd never be able to keep a straight face" she admitted with a smile and a twinkle in her eye.

Harry couldn't help but smile with her; he had to admit that it hadn't been his most inspired thinking.

"There are mobile phones, wedding rings, keys and cards in here" Malcolm handed them a box each with their new names on "I'll give you a few minutes to go through it before we start with the photos."

Harry nodded at Malcolm before he turned his attention back to Ruth. "Shall we?" he asked, arm extended in front of him. Together they walked towards his office and started the task of learning their new identities.

Ruth nervously shuffled through the box on her lap and tried to take in the enormity of the information presented to her "I'm not sure I can do this Harry" she admitted quietly. Feeling his warm hand touch her own she raised her head and looked at him.

"Yes, you can Ruth. You've done it before" his gaze was gentle and reassuring, he could see the panic and slight fear swimming in her eyes and wanted more than anything to make her feel better.

"No I can't say I've ever pretended to be married to someone who happens to be my boss, whilst working in a library and trying to find out what, if anything a suspected terrorist group may be planning" her voice rose slightly as she spoke, her words tumbling out before she could stop them. "Besides which, every time I go out in the field someone tries to kill me!" Her fears rushed to the surface as she remembered her previous forays into fieldwork.

She felt him squeeze her arm gently as she paused for breath.

"I meant you've been in the field before. Used a legend. I know it's a lot to take in, it is for me too, but I have absolute faith in you. I wouldn't have let you be part of this operation if I didn't think you could do it Ruth" his tone was low and even as he spoke and she could hear the sincerity of his words, his faith in her abilities making her flush with pride.

"If we end up getting shot at or chased by a mad man with a crossbow in the woods then I don't want to be sent out in the field again." Harry was relieved to see her relax slightly and smiled at her warmly

"Duly noted."

Feeling marginally better about the whole thing Ruth agreed to go over the fine details with Harry. They spent the next hour talking about how James and Jessica met and fell in love, both blushing slightly at the love notes James had sent to Jessica in the early days of their relationship. They recited family names and dates of birth, told each other how they liked their coffee and tried to memorise as much information as they possibly could.

The atmosphere between them was more relaxed now than it had been all day and Harry decided it would probably be a good time to raise the issue of displays of affection. He didn't know if the thought had even crossed Ruth's mind, but he had been plagued with images of kissing her since the morning briefing. Harry was about to broach the subject when the door to his office opened and Malcolm announced he was ready to take the photographs.

Awkward was the only way to describe the scene in the forgery suite. Ruth and Harry had been pushed together in front of the blue screen and directed into several intimate poses by Malcolm. Out of some sense of self-preservation it seemed that both of them had resorted to being terribly British about the whole thing, it was as if they had never met before in their lives. It wasn't surprising that the photographs taken were useless. After fifteen minutes of feeling like he was in a merchant ivory film Malcolm had reached the end of his tether and branded them both idiots. Ruth had taken one look at the outraged expression on Harry's face and burst out laughing, her tense body relaxing in his arms as she giggled helplessly. From his position behind her, Harry had moved his mouth to her ear and admonished her for encouraging insubordination amongst members of his staff. She could hear the smile in his voice and turned to look at him grinning unrepentantly. The resulting photo was one of a couple who looked very much in love.

tbc...


	3. Chapter 3

**_I will actually get to the plot soon, I promise!_**

Harry pottered around the kitchen and tried to familiarise himself with the layout as he attempted to make some tea. Realising that he should probably offer a cup to Ruth, he stuck his head round the door and called out her name. When he didn't get a reply after the second time of shouting he wandered out of the kitchen, wondering where she was and why she wasn't answering.

It didn't take long to find her. She was stood in the middle of the master bedroom, staring at the double bed. The expression on her face would have been comical to Harry had his own mind not immediately flooded with inappropriate thoughts and images. Desperately trying to banish his less than wholesome thoughts, Harry cleared his throat and tried to speak.

"Ruth" her name came out in a rush, his voice unsteady as he fought for his body not to betray what he had been thinking about. He had a feeling that the situation would be awkward enough without him having an ill-timed erection. At least in the office when it happened, he could stay behind his desk and maintain some dignity. Here she would be bound to notice and he was not ready for that conversation.

Ruth hadn't even been aware of Harry's presence until he said her name, she had flushed a deep shade of red when she looked at him and was struggling not to let her gaze drift back towards the bed. _Shit. Don't blush! He'll think you were thinking about something inappropriate! No, do not start thinking about **that** Ruth,_ she told herself sternly. It was stupid really; she hadn't even considered the possible sleeping arrangements until she had unpacked her sleeping things. Placing the pyjamas under the pillow on the left hand side of the bed, Ruth silently hoped that Harry wouldn't mind sleeping on the other side of the bed. She had gone back to unpacking her case when it suddenly hit her; she had automatically assumed they would sleep in the room together. What if he didn't want to? What if there was some rule or guideline to be followed and she didn't know? It wasn't like she had ever done this before. She needed to talk to him about it, sooner rather than later she decided.

His slightly strained voice brought her back to the present and she attempted to focus on what he was saying "I,uh, I'll take the spare bed. It's nothing to…"

"No!" her loud exclamation surprising them both into silence. Mortified at her outburst, Ruth rushed on and tried to fill the silence "What I mean is, well, it's just that I'd rather not be alone. I suppose that sounds a bit daft, I live alone but that's different isn't it? I have a cat so I'm not alone. Not that the cat sleeps with me or anything or that I am comparing you to my cat…" she trailed off self-consciously wishing that she hadn't opened her mouth at all.

"It's fine Ruth. I understand, I'll stay in here. With you."

She smiled at him gratefully, pleased that he understood her when no one else would have done. It was one of the things she liked about him most.

"I think we should talk about tonight" Harry saw her gaze stray momentarily back to the bed and hastened to clarify his meaning before the conversation dissolved into awkwardness once more. "The benefit. How we're going to make the approach, that sort of thing"

"Oh, right. Ok"

"I'm making some tea." He turned on his heel and headed off downstairs giving Ruth little choice but to follow him.

Settled on opposite ends of the sofa, Harry was glad to be focusing on the operation and not on the woman sat facing him. He fell back on familiar territory and started explaining to her his plan of action. Harry outlined the basics of his idea and together they fine-tuned it, until they were both satisfied with the roles they were playing.

"I suppose I'd better get used to calling you James too. Although, I think Harry suits you better."

He laughed slightly before admitting, "As long as it's not Henry I don't care"

"You really don't like it? It's not that bad."

"It was my Fathers choice, my mum used to call me Harry. She loved Henry V."

"A little touch of Harry in the night." The second the words were out of her mouth, Ruth realised the mistake she had made.

Harry promptly choked on the mouthful of tea he had just taken and was turning an alarming shade of red. Whether it was from choking or from her choice of words she couldn't tell. She wisely decided not to comment and fiddled with her teacup as Harry coughed and spluttered his way back to some semblance of dignity.

"I'm sure you'll be the death of me"

She looked at him over the rim of her cup and was relieved to find him smiling at her "Probably" she admitted quietly.

Harry was almost sure that she shot him a flirtatious look as she said it, but it was gone so quickly that he couldn't be certain. Biting the bullet he decided that now was as good a time as any to raise the issue of kissing.

"We should probably discuss how affectionate we're going to be in public."

"You mean like holding hands, that sort of thing?" she asked.

"Yes and, erm, kissing…" Harry tried not to be embarrassed by the whole thing but he did feel remarkably like he had right before kissing his first girlfriend. Getting increasingly annoyed with himself for behaving like a teenager, Harry reverted to his protective 'boss' shell and carried on in a rather patronising tone.

"James and Jessica need to show a certain level of affection. We need to be comfortable in each others presence, able to touch without embarrassment. The last thing we need is to be blushing like school children because we have to kiss. It's probably easiest to just try and forget that I'm your boss and that…"

"Oh for God's sake Harry!" she said, annoyed at him for treating her like a child: it wasn't as if she hadn't kissed anyone before.

As she spoke, she closed the gap between them on the sofa, stretched her arm out grabbing a handful of his shirt and pulled him towards her roughly. Before he had realised what was happening, Ruth had covered his lips with hers and kissed him. Hard. Some of her frustration and anger pouring into the kiss. She was no longer thinking of propriety, in fact, she was no longer thinking at all. Instinct had taken over and what had started out as proving a point began to spiral into something else entirely, as she swept her tongue across his lips and demanded entry to his warm mouth. The feel of his tongue pushing against hers hungrily was making her dizzy and she reluctantly pulled out of the kiss, her lungs screaming for oxygen.

They were both breathing hard, each watching the other. It was only when some of the fog in her brain lifted that Ruth realised she was practically lying on top of Harry. She sat up quickly and moved away from him slightly, suddenly horrified that she had just thrown herself at him - although she did note that he had kissed her back enthusiastically after his initial shock had worn off. She wondered, briefly, if it meant anything but then dismissed the thought, realising that he was probably just playing the part. She choked down her disappointment and tried to think of something to say.

"Was that what you had in mind?" she asked as levelly as possible, her heart still pounding from the kiss.

Clearing his throat and sitting back up, Harry looked at her. He was still reeling from the fact that _her_ tongue had been in _his_ mouth, something he had thought about a lot more than he would admit to. In all honesty he was totally confused. He was aware of the reason why she had kissed him but surely no one could kiss like that and not mean something by it. Harry groaned mentally. _This is going to be hard enough to pull off without you looking for meaning in everything. You told her not to have any inhibitions, just get on with it Harry. Say something, you've been quiet too long._

"Something like that." He said softly as his gentle brown eyes held her own.

There was something in the way he held her gaze for just a fraction longer than was necessary that made her want to lean back in and kiss him again, slowly and passionately. In that instant she didn't think he'd protest, but the look was gone before she could act and she was left wondering whether it had been there in the first place or if it was just wishful thinking on her part.


	4. Chapter 4

Ruth eased herself into the hot bath and sighed as she relaxed into the scented water. It was nice to escape from Harry for a little while. After their kiss earlier, things had reverted back to normal, well what classed as normal for Ruth and Harry, which actually meant that the atmosphere was charged with nervous tension as both started to put their protective barriers back in place. The result was that they could at least discuss the operation objectively but repressing every personal feeling was draining and she was glad to have a few moments alone.

Ruth allowed herself to soak in the hot water until she felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders. She knew, however, that she couldn't be too long; she had to start getting ready for the evening ahead. Her mind wandered to her outfit and she remembered that she needed to shave her legs, which was when she realised that she had left her razor on the side of the bath at home. She cursed under her breath as she lifted herself out of the water and wrapped a towel around her body. Spotting Harry's Gillette Fusion on the side, her hand hovered over it for a second as she debated if he would mind her using it. Dressed only in a towel and still dripping with bath water, she wasn't about to leave the confines of the bathroom to ask him. There had been enough uncomfortable situations today without her parading about the house half naked.

Figuring that as long as she told him about it he wouldn't mind, she went ahead and used it. After all, it was partly for his benefit. Feeling relaxed and clean, Ruth left the bathroom in a much better mood than she had entered it and went to start getting ready. Her dress was something that she would normally never wear; in fact she hadn't actually worn it in public yet, merely bought it on a whim because it was gorgeous and she was feeling the need to be slightly extravagant. The fact that she had nowhere to wear it to hadn't entered her head until she had got it home. Thoroughly depressed, she had put it in the spare room before skulking downstairs where she had proceeded to eat a whole tub of ice cream to try and cheer herself up. It came as no surprise to her, therefore, that she had jumped at the chance to wear it this evening. She also knew that it complimented her figure in all the right places. A sly smile tugged at her lips as she pictured what the look on Harry's face might be like; she was honest enough to admit, if only to herself, that she wanted to knock his socks off.

A while later, Ruth had tried to get into the bathroom only to find it locked. She was preoccupied with thinking about what she could do instead of putting on her make up, when the sound of Harry swearing loudly filtered through the bathroom door. It didn't take her long to figure out that he might have been trying to shave with a blunt razor; the blade had been on its way out when she had shaved earlier and she had forgotten to mention to him that she had used it.

Knocking on the door, she shouted so that he could hear her: "Harry you might need to change the blade on your razor."

She heard the tap stop running and the sound of footsteps across the tiled floor but still jumped slightly when he opened the door. She could see the tissue paper stuck to his face, held in place by small circles of fresh blood. She moved her gaze to meet his and found that he was staring at her quite hard.

"How did you know my razor was blunt? It's funny because I only used it this morning and it wasn't that bad."

"I may have borrowed it," she tried not to whither under his scrutinising glare

"You _may_ have borrowed it, or you _did_ borrow it?" he asked as he arched one eyebrow at her. She realised quickly that he was slightly pissed off and tried to justify her actions.

"I meant to tell you. Sorry. I left mine at home and needed to do my legs because I'm wearing a dress"

"So I'm bleeding because of your fashion choice. Charming."

"I said I was sorry Harry." Ruth had no idea why he was being so off with her. Losing her patience with him, she raised her voice "It's only a small bit of blood, don't be such a bloody drama queen"

Turning on her heel, she marched off towards the bedroom and slammed the door, leaving an annoyed and slightly confused Harry in her wake. Shaking his head and muttering to himself darkly, Harry stepped back in to the bathroom and tried to concentrate on getting ready. He wasn't really sure why he was so annoyed with her; he just knew that he was. He was becoming increasingly frustrated that she was everywhere he turned; it wasn't something he was used to.

---------------------

Harry paced around the living room waiting for Ruth to make an appearance so they could leave the house. He had no intention of hurrying her along, knowing from previous experience with members of the opposite sex that it wouldn't be well received. They had managed to avoid each other completely since their crossed words in the bathroom, both needing a little space and time away from the other. Harry checked his watch and tried not to sigh as he noted the time. The sound of the door opening made him look up and he felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at her, all thoughts of running late leaving his head as he took in the vision before him.

Harry had never seen her look as amazing as she did at that moment; her hair was swept up in a simple but elegant twist, a few errant strands framing her face. He let his eyes trail over her face before lowering them to look at the dress; he tried hard not to stare at the plunging neckline but failed miserably. Ruth was very pleased with his reaction, some of her nerves easing slightly as she watched him take in her appearance. Harry was about to compliment her when she moved and he was mesmerised once more. He hadn't noticed it until she moved, but beneath the vivid red of the dress he glimpsed an expanse of smooth alabaster skin. The split up the side stretched to her lower thigh and he suddenly felt his mouth go completely dry. By the time she had reached where he was stood he had, at least, managed to close his mouth and take a few gulping breaths. Her smile was intoxicating and he was powerless to resist grinning back at her like a fool.

Clearing his throat he spoke quietly, his low rumbling voice sounded almost seductive to her.

"You look wonderful."

Ruth flushed slightly at his compliment, feeling slightly shaky as she finally got a good look at him in his tuxedo. She wanted to melt at the sight of him. He looked so handsome in his classically cut evening wear. She had to resist the urge to run her hands along his broad shoulders and down his chest. This sudden impulse caught her off guard and she dug her nails into the palm of her hand to stop herself from reaching out to him. She settled for returning his compliment, afraid that if she stared at him for much longer she would get flustered, say something stupid and ruin the moment.

"So do you. Very 007."

His resulting chuckle eased some of the thick tension that had settled around them.

"I think I'm a bit old for that now" he murmured self-depreciatingly.

"Oh, I don't know," she drawled "I think there's life in you yet." She brazenly winked at him, a coy smile forming on her lips as she noted the surprise in his eyes which was quickly followed by a spark of interest and a hint of desire if she wasn't mistaken.

Harry would have given anything in that moment not to have to go out; he would happily hand over the keys of Thames House to Juliet if it meant that he could stay in this moment with her. To spend the evening together as Ruth and Harry, not as their fictional counterparts. Unfortunately for him, his strict sense of duty kicked in and he reluctantly asked if she was ready to leave. She nodded and turned away from him. As she moved to the door, Harry watched her appreciatively from behind. He almost swallowed his tongue when he happened to notice that she didn't have an underwear line. He was sure he would spend the rest of the evening trying to figure out if she was, in fact, wearing any at all.

Tbc


	5. Chapter 5

Ruth felt her stomach churn as they pulled up outside the venue and was grateful when Harry slid his warm palm onto the small of her back as they walked into the ballroom. His hand distracted her slightly from the mild panic that had started to set in on the drive to the venue. She began running through the details of the plan in her head once more and nearly fainted when Harry whispered in her ear to relax.

He smiled slightly as he continued to murmur in her ear, hoping that anyone watching them would just think he was being sweet to his wife.

"I won't let anything happen to you. I promise" his lips brushed her ear lightly as he spoke and she shuddered slightly from the contact. She marvelled at how well he knew her and on impulse turned her head and kissed him briefly on the lips to thank him.

If he was surprised by her gesture he didn't show it, merely moving his hand from her back and capturing her hand in his, squeezing it gently before leading her further into the ballroom. The room was large and spacious; most of the floor had been taken up with tables exquisitely set for a silver service dinner. There was a small stage in the centre of the room where a band played some soothing jazz music as people mingled and found their tables and a large banner hung above the front of the stage announcing the Annual Children's Trust Ball. Ruth took note of the sizeable dance floor and vowed to get Harry to dance with her before the night was over.

Harry and Ruth both tried to enjoy the meal as much as they could, as they talked with each other and to some of the guests seated on their table. Harry mused at how easy it would be to forget the reason they were actually here. She captivated him totally; he loved everything about her from the way her dimples showed when she laughed to how she cheekily stole a potato from his plate when she thought he wasn't looking. They had only been 'together' for one day and already he knew he'd never be able to go back to the way things were before.

They lingered at the table after the meal had finished but the band had started to play some more upbeat music and a few eager couples were already on the dance floor. They were sat together, sipping the champagne that Harry had liberated from a passing waiters tray, as they waited for the right opportunity to come along. Harry tugged on his left earlobe, giving her the sign that Hightower was on his way to the bar, she smiled at him briefly letting him know she had understood. They had agreed that the best way for Harry to make the approach would be on his own, she was to be distracted by meeting up with friends and he would slip away to the bar and initiate contact.

"Jessica!"

She turned, at the sound of the familiar voices, to see Jo and Zaf stood at the side of the table, grinning at her. Obviously they had been spared for a couple of hours from the other operations to help out. She walked towards them, a genuine smile lighting up her face as she greeted them both with a hug. Harry took his cue and headed in the direction of the bar.

Harry leant across the bar next to Hightower and ordered himself a drink. He knew from the look on the barmaids face that he had timed it just right and appeared to have pushed in front of Hightower.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you'd been served" Harry offered in a contrite voice as he turned to face Hightower. He offered an apologetic smile as the barmaid headed off to make his drink.

"Quite alright. No harm done."

Harry turned back to the bar and took some money out of his pocket "I'm avoiding my wife's friends" he offered by way of an explanation "Of course when she realises I've disappeared and taken solace at the bar I'm in for it!"

Hightower barked a short laugh "Yes, that'll probably be my fate too" he admitted.

As they made small talk at the bar, Harry felt the familiar rush of adrenalin and excitement that came from being out in the field. He hadn't realised how much he missed it until now. It was easy really; to befriend someone; to start the ball rolling. The key to it was simplicity. Over complicating things always meant trouble, so he dished out small nuggets of information that could be built upon the next time they met, which Harry knew would be tomorrow.

Harry stopped talking as he felt an arm slide around his waist. Ruth was by his side, a mock exasperated look on her face as she addressed him

"I thought I might find you here," she admonished gently, "you can't avoid them all night you know."

He kept his expression innocent and his tone light as he replied "I have no idea what you mean darling."

Ruth rolled her eyes at him and glanced inquisitively in Hightower's direction, without missing a beat Harry introduced her to his new acquaintance.

"Sorry, Jess this is Matthew." He indicated to Hightower and she smiled at him "Matthew, this is my wife Jessica."

There was genuine affection in Harry's voice and Ruth felt a small tremor go through her as he called her his wife. Pushing the thought aside, Ruth extended her hand to Hightower as she spoke.

"Pleasure to meet you. I don't mean to be rude but would you mind excusing us?" shooting Harry a small look, she carried on "My husband promised me a dance this evening and if I don't drag him to the dance floor now I may never a chance to."

Harry rolled his eyes good naturedly as Hightower graciously excused them. Ruth reached for Harry's hand and was pleased to find that he met her halfway. Hand in hand they walked onto the dance floor; Harry pulled her into his arms as the band started to play a new number. His hold on her was not entirely respectable but she wasn't about to complain, his cheek pressed against hers as he moved them in time to the music. She felt his hot breath wash over her ear as he whispered into it.

"I don't recall dancing being part of the plan"

"I'm improvising" she declared. He detected the smile in her voice and chuckled throatily in response.

They were lost in the moment and didn't notice the two figures watching from the shadows.

"Is it me or do they seem to be enjoying this?" Zaf asked his companion.

Turning to leave, Jo smiled at him as she answered "It's not just you."

TBC...


	6. Chapter 6

**_This one and Ch 7 are for Gem who is leaving use for a while sniff_**

The sound of beeping penetrated Harry's mind as he fought his way out of his sleep induced haze. He was extremely reluctant to wake up which was unusual in itself as he was always up at the crack of dawn. Years of working for the service meant that he was used to surviving on only a few hours of sleep a night. This morning though, he was cosy and warm. His bed wasn't usually so inviting and it took him a few seconds to figure out why. His eyes flew open as he remembered where he was and whom he had gone to bed with the previous evening. Harry tried not to move. He really didn't want to wake her up just yet but the infernal bleeping of the vehicle reversing up the street outside was bound to wake her sooner or later.

He allowed himself a small moment of indulgence as he looked at her sleeping form. His eyes swept over her face and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth; she was adorable. Her hair was tousled and stuck up errantly in a few places and she wore a slight pout on her face. Her full lips were temptingly close to his. He wanted to lean forward and trace her lower lip with his tongue. He tried to push the thought out of his head. As tempting as it was, the bottom line was that she trusted him and he wouldn't do anything that betrayed her trust.

They were both laid on their sides, arms and legs entwined. Harry noticed, absent-mindedly, that his hand was resting on her backside and he was torn between removing the hand completely or squeezing the flesh to see if it really was as firm as it had looked in her dress. Harry instantly regretted thinking about it; he could feel his body starting to react to her proximity and his wayward thoughts. He desperately tried to think of a way to extricate himself from her without either waking her up or inadvertently showing her that he was aroused. He wasn't given too long to think about it as her eyelashes fluttered open and her sleep fogged eyes met his, setting off a panic which fluttered through his stomach about how any of this was remotely explainable.

"Stupid beeping" she mumbled, her voice husky from sleeping. She closed her eyes and tried to drift back to sleep, it was only when she moved her leg slightly and brushed against him that she became aware she wasn't dreaming. Her eyes flew open and she looked directly into Harry's eyes. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The silence seemed to stretch endlessly between them, both frozen in place. The sound of the front doorbell ringing dragged them out of the moment and Harry scrambled out of bed as fast as he could. He snatched his dressing gown off the back of the door and practically ran out of the room and downstairs, leaving a confused and slightly hurt Ruth in the suddenly cold bed.

Ruth was in the kitchen making breakfast when Harry came back from answering the door. He wasn't really sure what to say to her. He didn't think there was anything he could say without embarrassing them both in the process so he settled for avoiding the issue altogether.

"That was Zaf, collecting the status report" he said quietly.

Ruth nodded absently in his direction and Harry got the distinct impression that she was upset with him. For what, he wasn't exactly sure, but he wasn't about to ask her, his own fears and insecurities getting the better of him.

Breakfast was a stilted affair, both frustrated with the whole situation and wishing, not for the first time, that they hadn't been thrust into this setting together.

* * *

Locking herself in the bathroom and brushing her teeth, Ruth glared at her reflection in the mirror _You have no right to be upset with him. Of course he ran off, he's your boss not your bloody boyfriend. _She sighed around her mouthful of toothpaste and continued brushing vigorously. _Stop being so sensitive, he doesn't know that you've secretly dreamed of waking up in his arms practically every night since you met him. _Raising her eyebrow at herself in the mirror she added sternly _Nor is he going to find out_.

Feeling better after washing and getting dressed, Ruth wandered through the house looking for Harry. She found him in the kitchen hands in a bowl of soapy water as he washed the breakfast plates. Smirking she wished that she had a camera with her; no one would ever believe her that he did the washing up! Almost as if he knew what she was thinking, his deep voice echoed through the kitchen

"Not a word" he said warningly, although she could hear the hint of playfulness underneath.

"No one would ever believe me anyway Harry."

He nodded at the tea towel resting on the counter top "Make yourself useful then."

As they worked together a comfortable silence settled around them. Harry was pleased that she didn't seem to be upset with him any longer. He wondered, briefly, if he should offer to take the spare bed tonight but pushed the thought to one side. This was possibly the only time he would ever get to share a bed with her, he wasn't about to give it up that easily. Since it was still morning and they wouldn't be making their next contact with Hightower until the afternoon Harry was at loss for what they could do to pass the time. Well, that wasn't quite true he reflected; he had lots of ideas on that score just none that he felt he could share with Ruth.

"We have a few hours until the next point of contact. What would you like to do?"

She answered without missing a beat "Shopping"


	7. Chapter 7

**_Whilst this chapter doesn't do much to move the plot along it does show how random my thought processes actually are...ah well, hope you enjoy it!_**

As soon as the word had left her mouth, Harry had regretted letting her decide the day's activities. He had instantly protested, claiming that spending the day shopping was not his idea of time well spent.

"Harry, it's what normal people do at the weekend" she explained patiently.

" Is it? It's been quite some time since I've been 'normal people'. I'm not sure I remember what it entails."

"Oh it's simple really. I'll drag you round all the shops I want to look in, you'll get annoyed, we'll argue and then you can make it up to me with a new pair of shoes" her grin was endearing and he couldn't help but get caught up a little bit by her enthusiasm.

"I did enough arguing in my first marriage to last me a lifetime, do you think we could perhaps skip that part?" he asked honestly. He was slightly surprised with himself for referring to his past and even more so for referring to it as his _first_ marriage, as if this charade with Ruth was his _second_ one. Ruth hadn't noticed the exact words he used though. She was focused more on the fact that he was agreeing to go with her, albeit reluctantly. She was suddenly giddy at the prospect of playing the part of a normal couple. The thought of wandering through the town holding Harry's hand left her slightly breathless and she tried to distract herself.

"Do I still get the shoes?" Her tone playful as she grinned at Harry. He rolled his eyes at her good naturedly, shaking his head and muttering he left her in the kitchen. The only words she could make out being 'bloody shoes' and 'budget'.

* * *

As it turned out, Harry was beginning to enjoy his time with Ruth. It felt wonderful to be able to hold her hand as they walked from shop to shop. He loved the way they were able to interact with one another, free from the restraints that were usually in place between them. Harry suspected that she was trying to make the outing as pleasant for him as possible and was thankful to her for not leaving him stood outside any changing rooms whilst she tried several outfits on. The constant tedium of waiting in clothes shops was one of his main memories of shopping with his ex-wife, that and the credit card bills. 

He stopped as he noticed they were about to pass a shoe shop. Ruth turned to look at him quizzically and was pleasantly surprised when she heard him speak.

"You mentioned something about shoes…"

Ruth was torn between admitting that she had only been joking about the shoes and jumping at the chance to get a new pair.

"I was only kidding" her sensibility winning in the end. Harry smiled at her and tugged her inside the shop.

"I know," he admitted quietly, leaning into her so that no one else could hear, "but I think it would look odd if we didn't buy something though. Just don't go mad; it's me that'll have to explain it to Juliet!"

Several pairs of shoes later, Ruth had finally selected a pair of boots that she wanted and they were free to leave the store. She smiled at him as he first paid for the boots and then insisted on carrying the bag; he really was incredibly sweet at times she mused. They wandered around the shops a little more before Ruth decided to see if she could tempt Harry in to buying some jeans: she reasoned that since she had got something out of the trip then he should too. The fact that she wanted to buy him jeans had nothing whatsoever to do with how she had regularly imagined how good he would look in worn denim. _Nothing at all to do with that_ she told herself as she steered him into the men's wear shop and try to think of the best way to make her approach. She realised it was likely to be an uphill battle.

Once inside the shop, she had been astonished to find that Harry wasn't totally adverse to the idea. Ruth had expected much more fuss but wisely decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and pulled a few pairs off the shelf before herding him in the direction of the changing rooms. Harry was a little surprised to find that she knew what size trousers he took but chose not to question her on it, they had come this far without descending into uncomfortable silences and blushing like teenagers and he was loathe to start that up again. Doing as he was requested, he walked into the changing rooms, even agreeing to come back out and show them to her for her opinion.

The first pair he had tried on were far too tight and he had refused to leave the protective area of the changing cubicle. There was no way on Earth that a man of his age or his stature should be seen in public in jeans that left this little to the imagination, he had told her. He meant it too; he didn't even want to think about how he would cope if he had to sit down in them. Glad to be out of them, Harry had just picked up the next pair and was putting his legs into them when he heard the curtain rustle. Alarmed, he looked up to find that Ruth was now inside the cubicle with him and almost fell over as he tried to pull the jeans on and cover himself up.

"What are you doing?" he hissed incredulously. His expression a mixture of outrage and confusion as she placed her finger against her lips, motioning him to be quiet. He looked at her expectantly for an explanation.

"Ex-boyfriend," she whispered as she pointed to the shop with her thumb. "Don't think he saw me but he knows I'm not Jessica Walker."

Harry nodded in understanding, pleased that she had taken steps not to get recognised but still a bit miffed that she had chosen to barge in on him half dressed. "Did anyone see you come in here?"

"No" it suddenly dawned on her why he was asking "Oh God. I really didn't think this through did I? Mind you I suppose it wouldn't be the first time it's happened. People get caught doing that sort of thing all the time. Although you'd think they would have enough sense to find one with a door that locked, I know I… " her eyes widened in horror as she heard herself speak and she promptly shut her mouth.

Harry watched in fascination as her cheeks turned a bright shade of red. She was blushing that hard he could practically feel the heat coming off her in waves. He was both relieved and disappointed that she hadn't finished what she was going to say.

He tried to focus on a way of getting them both out of the changing room before they got caught by a member of staff and got thrown out. There was also the added complication of Ruth's former boyfriend and Harry realised that he would have to go out first to make sure the coast was clear for her. First things first though, he needed to put his clothes back on. He had an internal debate about asking her to turn around whilst he changed back into his trousers but realised that she had seen him in his underwear once already so it didn't really matter.

He reached down and pushed the jeans off his legs as casually as he possibly could. He managed to avoid looking at her but could feel her eyes on him as he shuffled about. Feeling marginally better when he was back in his own clothes, Harry looked at her.

"I'm going to go out first and pay for these" he waved the jeans in front of her "Tell me what this guy looks like and when the coast is clear I'll cough loudly and you can slip out."

She nodded in agreement and described her ex as best she could. Praying that no one had seen her join him in the changing room, Harry took a deep breath and strode out. He casually looked around the shop; happy that the coast was clear he coughed loudly and made his way to the checkout. Ruth appeared by his side a few minutes later and together they left the shop, complete with new jeans for Harry. Whilst she was still embarrassed about the whole changing room debacle, she was inordinately pleased that he had bought the jeans anyway. Seeing him in his underwear had been an added bonus, she smiled secretly, and filed the image away for future reference.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Thanks to Em for the beta and for everyone else giving me a nudge to write the next chapter..._**

One pair of jeans, an embarrassing changing room incident and an ex-boyfriend later and Ruth and Harry decided to call it a day and headed for home. _Home._ Harry tried not to think about how quickly he had started to refer to it as a home and not a house. As he ambled through the kitchen to make a drink, he wondered idly what it would be like to live with Ruth for real. He could hear her singing slightly off-key from somewhere in the house and smiled to himself softly as he imagined lazy weekends together. Cross with himself for daydreaming about her again, Harry renewed his efforts to make a drink. It really was too easy to weave his fantasies through the reality of the roles they were playing.

She was very easy to live with so far. Well, there had been the shaving incident but he had forgiven her for that the moment he had seen her in _that_ dress. She was tidy and seemed to sense when he needed some space, he was quite fortunate really. The fact that he was in love with her didn't make him blind to her faults: worse, he actually liked her more for them. He had already witnessed little outbursts of her temper, finding the anger sparking in her eyes and the way she clenched her jaw alarmingly sexy. She wriggled a lot in her sleep he had found, elbows and legs flailing everywhere as she tried to claim the middle of the bed. He was almost certain that they had ended up so tangled together this morning due to him trying to keep her from moving about so much. He had a vague recollection of wrapping an arm around her after an elbow jabbed him in the side. He hadn't meant to touch her but had found sleep claimed him easily as she lay in his arms.

Hearing the footsteps pad across the landing above Harry left the kitchen and went to wait for her in the living room. They had agreed to spend an hour or two rehearsing their legends before the next meeting with Hightower took place. A great deal rested on their ability to act natural together, to recall shared stories and anecdotes in a believable way. He was blessed that Ruth had a vast capability for storing knowledge and information quickly - he was all too aware of the times his life had depended on being prepared and had vowed to make sure she was fully up to speed. He needed her safe and whole when they finished the operation.

* * *

As they entered the restaurant, both were aware of the adrenaline coursing through their bodies. The plan was simple really. With a little bit of help from Malcolm a reservation had been secured for James and Jessica at a popular restaurant which Hightower and his wife frequented. The Hightower's reservation had been cancelled, leaving them with no choice but to wait in case a table opened up or leave the restaurant. Harry and Ruth were to engineer the situation to their advantage by inviting the Hightower's to join them for dinner.

It had been relatively easy to put their plan into action and without too much fuss the four of them were seated in the restaurant. Hightower introduced them both to his wife Victoria and general small talk was exchanged as they ordered their meals.

"We really do appreciate this. I can't imagine what happened with the reservations."

"It's no problem, Matthew. Nice to see a familiar face actually"

"That's right; I forgot that you hadn't been in the area long, how're you finding it?"

Conversation began to flow easily, Harry and Ruth talked of their past effortlessly. Ruth felt her stomach flutter as Harry covered her hand with his as it rested on the top of the table yet, before she could process it, she had interlaced her fingers with his as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Ruth watched him as he talked, making the most of the fact that she was allowed to watch him openly. The way his mouth moved amazed her; the way his lips formed the words before his deep sultry voice caressed them. She listened intently to his low voice and wondered idly if he knew how sexy it was. She watched his tongue flick lightly over his lips to moisten them and choked on her water as her thoughts rapidly moved towards the gutter.

Her spluttering broke the spell that his voice had cast on her and she smiled weakly at his concerned look "Shouldn't try to drink and breathe at the same time" she offered by way of an explanation.

"Are you newly weds?"

"Matthew?!" Ruth watched as Victoria Hightower smacked his arm lightly in admonishment for asking the personal question.

"Relatively newly wed I suppose, why do you ask?" It was Harry, not Ruth, that answered; she didn't trust herself to speak. Somehow, she knew what was coming and was powerless to stop it. She desperately wanted to crawl under the table and hide and, since she couldn't do that without looking very odd, she concentrated all her energy on trying not to blush.

"I remember my wife looking at me like that when we first wed" he answered with a knowing wink at Harry.

Fortunately for them both, the waiter arrived at that moment with the desserts. By the time the waiter had finished, the conversation had shifted and Ruth was engaging Hightower and his wife in an enthusiastic discussion of books and favourite reads. Harry had a brief moment to wonder how _exactly_ she had been looking at him before she dragged him into the conversation with a playful jibe about his reading tastes.

Dinner had been a success and Harry and Ruth had graciously accepted an invitation to dinner with Matthew and Victoria at their house later in the week. Addresses were exchanged before the couples parted and went their separate ways. Ruth had been ecstatic when she felt Harry wrap his arm around her shoulders as they left the restaurant. In response, she leant her head against the inside of his shoulder, her head swimming with the smell of his spicy cologne and the heat from his body. She noted that he didn't take his arm from around her until they reached the taxi despite the fact that they could no longer be seen by anyone who might have been watching.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Massive thanks to Em for all her help, especially for reminding me about the great good..._**

Harry sat behind his desk in his new office and waited for Adam to arrive. Looking at the paperwork in front of him, he shook his head and silently cursed Malcolm for making James's occupation a solicitor. Not only did he detest solicitors, he didn't exactly have an encyclopaedic knowledge of law practices. In fairness, he only had to pretend to file reports and deal with fictional cases, since the firm had a long standing agreement with the service and had been used as a cover for more than one agent. He was, however, monumentally bored, something that never happened in his own line of work. The days were tediously long: one appointment a day with one of his own officers to discuss any developments relating to the alleged terror plot. Other than that, all he had was 'pretend-paperwork' to do and the internet to surf. If he had to read one more anti-abortion website he thought he might scream.

It didn't help that Ruth loved her temporary job. Malcolm had matched her interests well when he arranged for her to work in the library, something which Harry had taken exception to. Ruth had enthusiastically told him all about the books and the library. In fact, she had been so enthusiastic that at one point he had wondered out loud if he should expect her resignation any time soon. Her response had been something he had tortured himself with for days, trying to decipher its meaning. He could still hear her voice in his head as he played the conversation over again.

"What and leave you? Never" the absolute conviction in her tone warmed his soul and a large smile found its way on to his face, only to fall away when she continued "Best boss I've ever had Harry."

Adam's arrival had effectively drawn him from thoughts of Ruth and he spent the rest of the afternoon discussing the operation with him. It was apparent that no new information had turned up regarding the possible attack and Harry was still adamant that this whole thing could turn out to be a complete waste of time and resources….professionally speaking, at any rate. On the personal side, things were, at least, interesting. Totally complicated admittedly, but Harry couldn't deny that he was really starting to enjoy living with her.

They had been living together for almost a week now and had settled into a routine fairly quickly. Some of the initial awkwardness of sharing the same bed had eventually worn off: although they woke up tangled together every morning, despite starting off on opposite sides of the bed, they both seemed to have silently agreed not to mention it…just as they had both avoided mentioning the phone calls and e-mails during the day.

Ruth hadn't realised how used to his calming presence she had become until she worked somewhere else. Somewhere without him. She missed barging into his office or watching him discreetly from her desk. She missed talking to him; not about anything in particular, she just felt a little lost without the interaction. Feeling bold, she had phoned him at his office, her hand trembling slightly as she waited for him to pick the phone up. Initially it had been awkward, a tense few minutes filled with more pauses than actual words but slowly they had started to talk. The topics they covered were safe ones but over the week they were becoming decidedly flirtier.

It was Harry who had started the e-mails, he blamed the tedium of being stuck in an office alone all day but couldn't deny to himself that it was an excuse to communicate with her in between phone calls. It had been easy to fall into the trap of flirting, somehow the anonymity of the computer allowing them to be a lot bolder than they would be in person. Harry realised he was in trouble the day that he ended an e-mail with _Love me x, _automatically clicking the send button before realising what he had just put. He had spent the next ten minutes in a blind panic about how she would react to it. His heart soared when he read her responding e-mail and saw that she had signed it with three kisses at the bottom.

They seemed to be stuck in a never-ending circle of frustration and confusion, both reluctant to bring up the subject of their daily flirtations, almost as if by acknowledging them it would cause the spell they had cast to wear off. Harry and Ruth both feared that the other might back off in embarrassment or, even worse, claim that it was all part of the legend. Unbeknown to Ruth, Harry spent a good deal of his work time trying to analyse and decipher the many calls and e-mails. He was almost certain that it was Ruth flirting as herself and not anything to do with the operation or keeping up appearances, but the trouble was that he didn't have anything specific that would categorically show she was interested in him. Everything was so vague and subjective and as much as he was enjoying the thrill of little word games and playful comments, he did want to scream at times. Surely it wasn't normal for a man of his age and position to be this tortured by a possible romantic entanglement. He was normally a lot more confident and bold in his approach with women but then again she wasn't just any woman. She was someone who had won his heart without even attempting to. He was still unsure as to how she had managed to beguile him so completely. She was the only one able to get under his considerable defences. He didn't know if she was aware of it or not but he was the real Harry Pearce when he was with her, something not even his ex-wife could claim. Shaking his head, he noted that it was almost home time and tried to suppress the joy he felt at the prospect of seeing her.

Ruth was also becoming increasingly frustrated with the situation. Sometimes she wished that she was bold enough to declare her feelings for him outright. She had replayed parts of the last week over and over again in her head until she felt like her brain was swimming with thoughts of him. She was almost certain that his teasing and flirting held an underlying truth, she just didn't have any concrete proof and without that she wasn't prepared to risk it. He was still her boss after all and they had to work together when all this was over. What she needed was to find a way of letting him know how she felt without actually telling him; that way, she reasoned, they could both save face.

She was still consumed with thoughts of Harry when she arrived at the house. She was later than usual thanks to an accident blocking off part of the road on her way home. She smiled and felt her insides warm, despite the evening chill, as she reached the front gate. The house looked so inviting and warm with the lights on. She let herself in and called out a quick hello as she took her shoes and coat off at the door. Scanning the living room for Harry, she ventured into the kitchen to locate him, only to find that it was empty. Deciding he was probably upstairs, she made her way to the bedroom: she wanted to get changed anyway before they made dinner. She was doing a mental stock take of the cupboard contents, deciding what to cook, as she made her way up the stairs. She had just remembered to ask Harry if he liked Italian food when she caught sight of him through the doorway. She was initially concerned at his statue like posture, until she noticed he was holding a pair of her knickers in his hands.

"Harry!"

"Ruth!" quickly thrusting the underwear into the open drawer in front of him, he turned to face her. "This isn't what it looks like."

She was torn between asking what he thought it looked like, silently dying and slapping him. Deciding it wouldn't be the best idea she ever had, to follow through with any of those impulses, she settled for demanding an explanation from him.

"What the hell are you doing with my underwear?"

Taking a deep breath Harry tried to compose himself before he spoke. He was extremely aware of how the situation must look to her and he really didn't want to say anything that might make the situation worse.

"I was putting it away. In the drawer with the rest of your, um, things." At her confused look, he decided to carry on. He was relieved she hadn't hit him or shouted at him as he had half expected "I was putting the washing away, that's all I swear."

"Oh" she had forgotten about putting the washing in the dryer before she left for work. She could feel the embarrassment start to flood her as she realised that he had actually been helping with the housework. She was extremely glad that she hadn't resorted to violence: that could have been a disaster. "Sorry I just, well I didn't know what to think. That's all."

"That's ok Ruth. Don't worry about it."

They smiled at one another slightly awkwardly, neither really sure what to say next to divert attention away from the topic of her underwear. Harry broke the silence by offering to go downstairs and start dinner whilst she changed from her work clothes. It was only as he descended the stairs that he breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that he had intentionally touched her underwear, they were buried in the pile of clothing he had taken out of the tumble dryer but, the minute he realised what he was holding, his brain had temporarily shut down. Well, the part that controlled impure thoughts and images was working perfectly well but the rest of it had stopped. That was probably how he hadn't known she was home until it was too late.

Harry hoped that he had managed to get away with it and vowed not to touch the washing pile after tonight's little escapade. It was bad enough that he regularly pictured her in her underwear - sometimes without it at all - but now he knew the style, colour and even texture of her pants. He had no idea how he was ever going to sleep and was certain that he would torture himself with images of her and the underwear for days to come.

If he had thought that his frustration at this situation could not get any worse, evidently he had been wrong.


	10. Chapter 10

**_I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it..._**

Ruth froze as she walked into the bedroom. The door to the adjoining bathroom had been left open and she could see Harry stood in the middle of the steam filled room. His face was obscured by the towel he held in his hands and she could see that he was lightly rubbing his hair dry. The towel hung down far enough that he was not totally exposed to her gaze but she could see enough of his body to cause her to swallow hard.

A warning bell was sounding in her head that she should not be looking at him, or should at least alert him to her presence, but she couldn't seem to take her eyes off of him. He could have only just stepped out of the shower; she could still see the water running down his legs where it puddled at the bottom of his feet. She worked her gaze up from his feet, taking in the curve of his calf muscles before moving up to his thighs. His legs looked strong and decidedly masculine to her, and she felt an impulse to see if they felt as good as they looked. She felt herself redden as she imagined what his skin might feel like beneath her hands and her lips.

From where she was stood, she could just make out the curve of his backside and found herself willing him to turn around so she could get a better view. When he didn't turn, she raised her eyes to his torso, slightly disappointed that the towel was in the way of most of his chest. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed the towel move and expose more of his chest as it was lowered to his waist. She swallowed again and reminded herself to breathe as her eyes raked over the exposed flesh. Taking in as much detail as she could, she watched as an errant bead of water tracked down his chest and found herself wanting to suck the droplets of moisture from his skin. She licked her lips subconsciously at the thought. She was far too engrossed in her admiration of his body to register the fact that if the towel had lowered then Harry must be able to see her.

His subtle cough sounded incredibly loud in the thick silence and her eyes immediately snapped to his. Mortification at being caught ogling him flooded her entire being and she was far too busy stuttering an apology to notice the satisfied grin that settled on his face. Harry tried hard not to show his glee at having put her in this predicament: there was no denying that she found him attractive. He couldn't think of a single time that some one had looked at his body with such a hunger and longing. His heart was still pounding from watching her and it was taking a lot of effort to keep certain body parts under control.

"God Harry, I'm sorry. The, um, door was and I came to get, and well, er, I should just go" she was incredibly flustered now and quickly turned and started to leave the room.

"Ruth"

She stopped in her tracks, bracing her hand against the bedroom doorframe and closing her eyes briefly when she heard his voice. She should have known that he wouldn't let her walk away from this without some sort of explanation. Taking a deep breath she turned to face him and was taken a back to see him stood in front of her.

"You don't have to run away. It's my fault for leaving the door open. Forgive me?"

Ruth blinked in confusion at his quiet words "Harry, it's me that owes you an apology. I really should have told you I was home."

"Perhaps I already knew."

Harry never took his eyes from her; he noted the emotions as they passed over her face and smiled at her when she mouthed "oh" before smiling at him bashfully. Deciding that he had waited for this moment long enough, he inched closer to her, stopping as their bodies were almost touching. He could feel the heat from her body in waves and he shuddered in delight at being this close to her.

She was sure he was about to kiss her. The look in his eyes was making her heart beast faster than she thought was healthy.

"Harry…" she felt the need to say something; to cut the thick, tense air before she closed the gap, but no thoughts could capture what was coursing through her veins.

Her breathing was laboured, coming in low ragged breaths as he moved towards her. The tip of her tongue flicked across her lips in anticipation and she could have sworn that she heard him groan slightly before he started to lean down towards her. She tilted her head up in expectation and waited to feel his velvety lips brush across hers.

The shrill sound of the telephone ringing interrupted their moment; Harry knew from the ring it was the secure line. He was torn between letting it ring and sweeping her into his arms, or answering it. They did have a job to do after all and it could be important. Making the decision for him, she moved across the room and picked it up.

By the time she had finished on the phone, Harry had dressed for their evening outing. He desperately wanted her to get off the phone so they could talk but he realised that it must be important because she had switched into analyst mode. He waited patiently for her to finish, perching himself on the end of the bed. He patted the space next to him as she ended the call and was disappointed but not overly surprised when he saw her hesitate.

"That was Adam. There has been a development in our situation" Ruth paused and waited for Harry to nod for her to continue, his game-face slipping into place as he prepared to take the information on board. "Yesterday GCHQ brought our attention to some chatter that they had flagged. It concerns the group Hightower is linked to. It appears that it is their intention to set off devices at 6 different abortion clinics across the London area."

"Do we have anything on intended targets and locations?" he was pacing now, the sight so endearingly familiar to her she would have smiled had they not been discussing something so serious.

"Nothing yet. They're exploring all the usual avenues but haven't found anything yet."

"It's down to us then. Let's see if we can rattle Hightower's cage tonight. I'm going to ring Adam and make a couple of suggestions whilst you get ready"

Ruth was slightly disappointed that he hadn't mentioned the kiss again but then told herself off sternly. People's lives were at risk, now wasn't the time to be getting fixated about a kiss…or a non-kiss more to the point. They had an operation to focus on, he was a professional and she should be too.

Swallowing her hurt, she scurried off to the bathroom and started to get ready; she used the time apart from Harry to gather her thoughts. If she was going to be any help at all with Hightower she needed to concentrate. Harry was relying on her and she wasn't going to let him down.


	11. Chapter 11

**_There is a method to my madness I swear it..._**

**_Em can vouch for me! _**

The house loomed in front of them as the car swept into the driveway.

"How the other half live" he heard Ruth mutter, as he slowed the car to a halt and applied the handbrake.

Releasing his seatbelt, he turned as best he could to face her, noting the way her eyes still seemed to shine in the dim light of the car. He chastised himself for focusing on her instead of the night ahead; he had spent most of the car journey trying to re-erect some of the barriers that were usually in place when she was near him. After the shower incident, Harry had realised just how easy it would be for him to jeopardise this operation by letting his personal feelings cloud his judgement: he could not and would not let that happen. _Self-control, self-denial -_ the mantra sounded in his head repeatedly and he tried to cling onto it as best he could.

"Do you have everything?" he asked and she nodded briefly before looking back at where her hands rested in her lap "Good. Everything will be fine"

Ruth sighed at his tone and tried to figure out just what the hell was going on with him: one minute he was coming on to her and the next minute he was giving her the cold shoulder. To say it was confusing was an understatement. She could feel that he was distancing himself and, whilst part of her welcomed the familiar territory, she was overwhelmingly hurt. She tried to bite her temper down as the hurt transformed in to anger.

They had barely spoken two words to each other since getting in the car, the atmosphere between them was thick with tension and neither one knew how to move past the issue without opening a can of worms. Taking a deep breath, Ruth squared her shoulders and stepped out of the car. Harry followed her lead and trusted that they were both professional enough to get through the evening without further incident. He lengthened his stride to catch up to her and gave in to the impulse to capture her hand in his. He was relieved to feel her fingers curl around his as, for a moment, he had almost expected her to pull her hand away.

They were greeted at the door by Hightower, who ushered them inside the vast house.

"You found it alright then?"

Hightower was obviously used to playing the host and he was attentive to his guests, while Victoria made a brief appearance before excusing herself back to the kitchen. Before long the three of them were seated in the sitting room, conversing lightly. Ruth waited until Harry and Hightower were engaged in a conversation about Anglo-American business practices before she excused herself, asking where the bathroom was.

"Fourth door on the right in the hallway."

She made her way out of the room and moved quickly down the corridor. She knew from studying the e-mail Malcolm had sent that Hightower's study was located at the end of the hallway, two doors down from the bathroom. She scanned the hallway for signs of anyone else before quietly slipping inside the study. She switched his computer on and removed the memory stick from its place behind her watch. She began to download all the files from his hard drive, keeping one eye on the door as she did so. It couldn't have taken more than a minute to complete the download but it felt like an age. She could feel her heart beating loudly in her chest as the adrenalin coursed through her veins. Ruth replaced the memory stick to its hiding place and turned off the computer. In her haste, however, she accidentally knocked a pile of documents to the floor and frantically scrabbled about to put them back in place as she heard a door close down the hallway.

She had no way of knowing if anyone was moving towards her location or not and cursed herself for her own clumsiness. She had to get out of there and fast, before she was found. The papers back onto the desk, her attention was caught by a letter from a children's charity. Picking it up, she scanned the content briefly, storing the information and making a note to discuss it with Harry at the first opportunity.

Ruth put the letter back in its rightful place before creeping back towards the doorway. She listened intently until she was as certain as she could be that the corridor was empty. Moving quickly, she left the study and made her way back to the sitting room.

"I managed to find it in the end" she smiled self-depreciatingly as she continued "had a lovely tour of your coat closet first though by mistake."

Hightower laughed briefly and Harry smiled at her warmly. She moved to sit next to him and tried to concentrate on the rest of the evening. A few minutes later, Victoria appeared and they moved though to the dining room. The rest of the evening passed without incident although Ruth got the distinct impression that Victoria was watching her at times. She put it down to paranoia at having snooped around the house earlier but she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that she got whenever she made eye contact with the woman.

Ruth was extremely pleased when the evening was over and they made their way back to the car. She waited until they had pulled out of the driveway before speaking.

"Harry, there are some things we need to discuss"

"I'll de-brief you when we get home" he responded gruffly and she was reminded that they were back to being distant. Out of nowhere, she had the sudden urge to giggle at his words and tried to cover it by coughing loudly. She could feel the colour seeping into her cheeks as he looked at her. Rolling his eyes at her he muttered "Grow up Ruth"

The instant he said it he knew that it was entirely the wrong thing to say to her and felt guilty for being so harsh with her. She hadn't done anything wrong after all. He admitted to himself that it was he who had pushed the boundaries of their relationship today and couldn't really blame her for being upset with him.

The rest of the journey was conducted in silence; Harry could hear her taking deep even breaths. He knew, even without looking, that her jaw would be flexing in suppressed rage. As they pulled up outside the house, he wondered how exactly he was going to talk himself out of this one. She was out of the car before he had a chance to address her and watched as she opened the door and stormed inside. He rested his head on the steering wheel for a minute before collecting his thoughts and following her into the house.

She was sat on the sofa as he entered the living room and he noticed that she was clutching the memory stick in her hands.

"Ruth.." he started only to be cut off. Her voice was clipped as she spoke and he could hear the underlying anger in it.

"Memory stick. I think I got everything. We need to ask Malcolm to do a more detailed background check on Victoria Hightower."

"What? Why do you say that?"

"When I was in the study I found a letter from a children's charity to her. It was thanking her for her donation on behalf of Hightower's company."

"Meaning?"

"What if she deals with _all _the donations Harry? She could be the link to our terrorist group not him."

"We don't have any proof of that Ruth. Nothing to indicate that she has any involvement at all with the group."

"I know that but..."

"But what?"

"She was looking at me funnily."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't look at me like that Harry, I'm not an imbecile. She was staring at me; there is something going on with that woman"

"And you know this from a look?" he asked incredulously.

"How many times have I been wrong in the past?" she demanded. His patronising tone had finally got the better of her and, added to everything else that had happened between them, she had just about had enough of Harry Pearce. When he didn't answer, she carried on. "I'll tell you how many times. None. I'm not sure why you find it so hard to take me seriously, this is not women's intuition or me being paranoid or whatever the hell you think it is."

"Ruth, calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down. I'm perfectly calm. And whilst we're on the subject don't tell me to grow up either, I don't appreciate it."

"Anything else?" he ground out between gritted teeth. He was working very hard to control his temper not wanting to make things even more complicated by falling out with her.

"You steal the bed covers." Ruth really didn't know where that had come from, it had just poured out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Well it's a wonder to me that I manage to sleep at all with all the thrashing about you do in your sleep. I'm surprised I'm not black and blue from being elbowed by you every two minutes!"

She glared at him forcefully "At least I don't snore!"

"That's a fact is it?" he cocked his head to one side as he raised his voice. "Listen just because you are in a bad mood does not mean you can take it out on me. You really expect me to take you seriously when you're stood here shouting at me like a fishwife?"

Harry was not surprised to hear her swear at him as she turned on her heel and marched out of the room. He could here her stomping loudly up the stairs and stared at the ceiling, tracking her movements. He doubted very much that she would be talking to him anytime soon and, if he was honest, he wasn't sure he blamed her. He knew he came across as a patronising bastard sometimes; he didn't mean to belittle her. He trusted her judgement above most people, so why was it so hard to just tell her that?

Incredibly pissed off with the whole thing Harry collapsed onto the sofa, putting his head in his hands as he tried to figure out where it had all gone wrong.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Thanks Em..._**

Harry winced as he looked up from the computer screen to see the door open and Adam walk into his office. He offered a weak grin of acknowledgement to his younger colleague before reaching up and rubbing his stiff neck lightly.

"You look like hell."

"Thank you Mr Carter"

"Long night was it?" Adam could barely suppress his grin.

Harry was in no mood for sly comments from his staff and glared at Adam warningly before handing over the memory stick.

"I want you to take an in depth look into Victoria Hightower's background. If she has had so much as a parking ticket I want to know about it."

"No problem. Is there something to suggest that she is involved?"

"Ruth has a hunch."

"Well a hunch is better than anything we've come up with so far. I'll get Jo to look in to it."

Sensing that Harry was not in the mood for idle chit chat Adam excused himself, telling Harry he would be in touch as soon as they had anything to go on.

Harry leant back in his chair, wearily rubbing his hands over his face before returning his attention to the computer screen. The blank page of his e-mail flicked back onto the monitor and he sighed heavily as he racked his brain for something he could say to her. It was ridiculous really but Harry hadn't felt this miserable in a long time. He feared that matters had only been made worse by him falling asleep on the sofa and not following her upstairs to try and make amends.

At the time, he had reasoned that they could both probably use a little time to cool off. He had settled on the sofa with a bottle of whiskey and tried to clear his head of thoughts of her. He must have nodded off at some point because the next thing he knew it was morning and the sound of the front door slamming had woken him up. He had blearily stumbled into the shower which had helped to wake him up and relieve some of the ache in his back and neck. It wasn't any help with removing the ache in his heart though.

He had spent more than an hour already this morning trying to think of something that he could send to her in an e-mail. Since he wasn't sure if she would answer the phone if he rang her and had immediately dismissed the notion of just turning up at the library to talk to her, e-mail had seemed the only plausible way of communicating with her. Finally, his fingers moved across the keyboard as he typed out his small message: _If I promised not to steal the bed covers, would you forgive me? _

Harry clicked the send button before he could talk himself out of it and tried not to watch the clock as he waited for a reply. The minutes ticked by agonisingly slowly and by the time he spotted the small envelope in the corner of his screen he had already rearranged every item on his desk twice. He felt his heart rate pick up and swallowed hard as he opened her e-mail. He was incredibly nervous and would have ridiculed himself for it had he not been so intent in reading her reply.

Ruth smiled a little as she read his e-mail again. He really was incredibly sweet and knew it was his way of apologising to her. She felt some of the tension ease from her body and the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach began to ease. She had spent most of the night racked with guilt for shouting and swearing at him. He might have deserved some of it but he was her boss and she had seen the hurt briefly flit across his face when her attack had become personal. The longer she had lay in the dark, alone, the worse she had felt. If she hadn't been too proud she would have ventured downstairs and sorted it out with him, but instead she had hugged his pillow to her chest inhaling his scent and cried herself to sleep.

As she had crept downstairs, she had spotted him asleep on the couch and her heart melted at the sight of him. His shirt was incredibly rumpled and he had the imprint of one of the cushions on part of his cheek. Not wanting to wake him and get caught watching him she had stepped away from the couch lightly, almost tripping over the whiskey bottle as she did so. Guilt had flooded her again as she pictured him sat alone; drinking because of her. Hearing him stir slightly and wanting to avoid a confrontation, she had rushed out of the house and headed to work.

His e-mail had arrived just when she had been debating with herself whether or not to ring him on her lunch hour, as had become her habit. She had thought for a few minutes before typing out her response to him: _I might if you promise not to snore as well x_ They had soon reverted to gentle flirting and Harry had been pleasantly surprised when the phone rang and Ruth was on the other end. He had felt like punching the air when she had admitted shyly that she had wanted to hear his voice.

* * *

Victoria Hightower looked around her before she walked into the small office block where the Save the Unborn Headquarters was located. She smiled in recognition at the girl sat behind the reception desk before walking down the corridor and into an office on the left.

"Victoria, what are you doing here?"

"I think I'm being watched."

"By who? Why would you come here if you think you're being watched?"

"I don't know by who Caroline, that's what I need you to find out. I could be being paranoid but I think we need to check out a couple that Matthew and I met recently. They came for dinner last night and I think the woman was in our study at some point. She certainly wasn't in the bathroom because that's where I went."

"Could she have found anything?"

"Nothing other than a letter from here thanking Matthew for his donation, which is all above board. That's why I'm here, on official business…" she handed a cheque over to the older woman with a smile.

"Give me their names and I'll get Emma and Helen to check them out discreetly."

Tbc...


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter has an M rating, so if you're offended by thoughts of Harry and Ruth getting it on I suggest you miss this part out.**

****

Ruth walked into the dimly lit bedroom to find Harry crouched down by the window. He didn't seem to have noticed her presence and her stomach clenched as she saw his attention was focused on something out of the window.

"Harry?" she spoke quietly, sensing that something was wrong

He turned towards her slightly and beckoned her to him. "We're being watched" he said evenly, although he was a little concerned at spotting the vehicle parked a short distance down the street.

They both remained at the window, crouched out of view of the car and its occupants for some considerable time. Ruth was the first to move from her observation point. Reaching for Harry's arm, she pulled him away from the window and into the centre of the room with her. He looked at her questioningly and almost had a heart attack when he heard her speak in a low tone.

"Take off your shirt"

Harry blinked hard twice, not quite believing his own ears.

"What?"

Harry wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not but, if he was, he certainly didn't want to wake up any time soon. His eyes widened and his mouth opened as he watched her nimble fingers skim over the material of her own shirt and begin to slip the buttons open. Ruth raised her eyes to his when he still hadn't moved.

"Harry, take your shirt off" she told him again in a no-nonsense tone.

"We don't have time for…" he half-heartedly started to protest. What he was protesting against exactly, he wasn't entirely sure, but his eager hands betrayed him and were already fumbling with the buttons.

"We're being watched and have been in the bedroom for almost forty-five minutes - we either make out we were doing something every couple does or they figure out that we're on to them."

Her voice sounded amazingly calm to her own ears But, deep down, she had no idea how she was managing to speak at all when he was stood opposite her, hurriedly peeling his shirt open.

Harry felt his heart sink at her words but knew she was right. His shirt hung open loosely as he worked on removing the cufflinks, before removing it completely and throwing it on the bed. He couldn't help but stare at her as she boldly removed her shirt; he had an unobstructed view of her cleavage as she moved her hands to the waistband of her skirt, bending forward slightly as she took it off. He watched, mesmerised, as she stepped over to the bed and picked his shirt up from where it rested on the covers. He was relieved that she seemed to have everything worked out because he didn't think he was capable of tearing his eyes from her body. Harry sighed slightly as she drew his shirt around her, although he re-evaluated his disappointment when he saw how sexy she looked standing before him wearing nothing but the thin cotton garment. The buttons were fastened haphazardly which served to hint at her tempting cleavage whilst showing off her legs perfectly. Harry felt his mouth go completely dry as he imagined running his hands up her bare legs. She smiled at him, almost knowingly, before moving towards him, stopping only millimetres away from him. His chest was heaving as he struggled to remain still and see what her next move was to be. He was surprised when he she reached her hands up to his head and teasingly ran her fingers through his hair, ruffling it slightly before turning hastily and leaving a very hot and bothered man in the bedroom.

Having managed to calm himself down slightly, he found her in the kitchen. Her back was to him as she stood at the sink. To the rest of the world it seemed like she was doing the dishes, but Harry knew, however, that the window in front of the sink was the best observation point in the house. He smiled at her quick thinking before swallowing hard as she bent forward slightly. He watched as the material of his shirt skimmed up her legs, revealing more of the smooth skin to him.

Ruth could feel his eyes on her; she tried not to shiver as she imagined his hot gaze travelling over her scantily clad body. She gripped the plate in her hand tighter, her knuckles turning white from the pressure she applied, as she washed it vigorously. In truth, she was glad to have something to focus on other than the image of Harry shirtless that was now burned into her retinas; the sight of it flooding her mind every time she closed her eyes. How she had managed to leave the bedroom without sweeping her hands down his broad chest as she had so desperately wanted to do, she had no idea. She was well aware that the line between fiction and reality was becoming increasingly blurred and knew that if she touched him she wouldn't be able to control herself.

Her skin tingled and she shuddered lightly as she felt Harry slide his arms around her waist from behind her and her eyes closed of their own accord as she felt his hot breath washing over her ear and against her neck.

"Are they still there?" he whispered against her skin, taking the opportunity to breathe in her intoxicating scent.

He felt, rather than saw, her nod and began placing feather light kisses along her exposed neck. He knew they were playing a dangerous game but he needed to touch her; to taste her skin. The urge to caress her was overwhelming and he didn't want to fight it anymore. He was encouraged to continue his exploration of her soft flesh when she tilted her head to the side and allowed him better access. As he reached her pulse point, he debated with himself whether to leave his mark on her or not. Deciding against it at the last second, he continued to work his way down until he reached the juncture with her collar bone. Harry opened his eyes briefly and looked out of the window, registering that whoever had been watching them was now gone. Reluctantly, he started to pull away from her, stopping when her hand rested against the back of his head and pulled him back towards her.

"Don't stop" she moaned breathlessly.

She no longer cared about hiding how she felt. All she knew was that she didn't ever want him to stop touching her. Harry moved his mouth to her ear, pressing his lips against it as he spoke.

"Say that again" he commanded as his arms tightened around her frame.

"Don't stop, Harry. Please."

He moved his mouth back to her neck and repeated his earlier journey with hot open-mouthed kisses and licks. When he reached her pulse point he didn't hesitate to suck on it hard before laving over the angry mark he had made with his tongue. Ruth pressed his head further into her, moaning loudly when she felt his teeth grazing lightly against her sensitive flesh. She managed to turn herself to face him, the raw hunger and passion in his eyes making her knees go weaker than they were already. She snaked her arms around his shoulders and pulled him to her, meeting him halfway for a fiery kiss. His mouth was hot and demanding as he pressed against her. She pushed her tongue between his lips and could feel the heat coursing through her body as his tongue moved against hers relentlessly. He pushed her against the counter, pressing his half naked body along hers as he continued to kiss her in an almost obscene manner.

Without warning, he moved his kisses over her chin and down the front of her neck. He left a blazing trail on her skin as he moved his head lower towards the open neck of his shirt. She was glad of the support from being pinned against the counter, as she didn't know if her legs would be steady enough to hold her up. His questing mouth had reached the barrier of the first button, dipping his tongue beneath the material briefly before pulling back to meet her gaze. She watched him through heavy lidded eyes as he sank to his knees in front of her. Ruth met his intense stare, his eyes never leaving hers as he reached up and slowly started to unbutton the shirt.

Harry lowered his eyes to her body as he slipped the last button from its hole and parted the material. His hot gaze swept over her, memorising the way she looked, clad in just her underwear, his shirt hanging open loosely on her small frame. Surprising her, he leant in and nuzzled his face against her stomach and she felt her flesh tingle in his wake as he traced her navel lightly with his tongue before standing up abruptly and engaging her mouth in a searing kiss.

Ruth felt his bare chest against her flushed skin as he continued to press against her. Locking her arms behind his head, she raised herself slightly, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. Harry groaned as he felt her heat pressing against him through his jeans. He staggered back from the counter, lowering his hands to her bottom and pressing her against his arousal more firmly before taking small steps across the kitchen. The feel of her tongue licking the sensitive skin behind his earlobe was enough to tip what was left of Harry's self-control over the edge. He pushed her up against the nearest kitchen wall and reattached his mouth to hers, making her head swim as she lost herself in the taste of him. Before she knew it, she felt his fingers pushing her knickers to one side and sliding into her slick heat. She arched her back at the sensation, pushing herself onto him more firmly. His body pinned her against the wall and he managed to use his one free hand to undo his jeans letting them pool to the floor before kicking them off completely.

Harry quickly replaced his fingers with his throbbing erection, pushing into her hard. He felt her heat engulf him and pulled out only to thrust into her harder. His grip on her hips was almost bruising as he pulled her onto him forcefully, her tongue stroking against his, battling with him for dominance as they pushed one another closer to climax. Harry felt her start to tighten around him and maintained the hard and fast pace they had set, he heard her shout his name loudly as she came. He pushed back into her as she clenched around him, her orgasm pulling him into his own.

Ruth rested her forehead against his as she felt him withdraw from her.

"That was" she tried to catch her breath and couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips of its own accord. "That was…" she trailed off not knowing how to describe exactly how incredible it had been.

"That was just the beginning" Harry stated authoritatively before kissing her again briefly.

Releasing her lips, he moved them back from the wall, swept her up into his arms and carried her out of the kitchen.


	14. Chapter 14

**_This chapter has an M rating so please do't read it if you are easily offended..._**

**_Thanks to Em x_**

* * *

Ruth played with the hair at the nape of Harry's neck as he carried her in to the bedroom. He lowered her onto the bed, following her down and attaching his mouth to hers once more. They kissed slowly, taking the time to explore the others mouth as Harry draped his body over hers, bracing his weight on his arm so as not to crush her. He flicked the tip of his tongue teasingly over the tip of hers as their mouths met in sensual kisses. Rolling onto his side, he pulled her with him, smiling into the kiss as he felt her leg drape over his, bringing their bodies closer together.

Harry trailed his fingers along her arm and up to her face, cupping her cheek with his large warm hand as he pulled out of the kiss. He watched in fascination as her eyelashes fluttered open, revealing the swirling blue depths of her eyes. He brushed his thumb lightly across the swell of her lips and smiled as he felt her kiss the tip softly.

"I'm in love with you."

Her breath caught in her throat at his hushed words. She had known it to be true as she had watched the emotions playing over his features as he caressed her lips but she was still unprepared for the onslaught of emotions that had surged through her body at his quiet declaration. Ruth closed her eyes briefly against the tears that threatened to fall, before opening them again and locking her eyes with his.

"I love you too Harry" she whispered a little breathlessly as she reached up with one hand and pulled his face down to hers.

He was unresisting as he met her soft full lips with his own, his stomach fluttered at the feel of her tongue running over the seam of them and he opened his mouth, encouraging her inside. Their tongues tangled together eagerly as Harry stroked his hands down her back and pressed her against him firmly. Holding on to her, he rolled over on to his back so that she landed on top of him. He kissed her harder as she moved one leg either side of him and ground her hips against his as she moved to sit up.

Harry followed her movements, kissing her hotly as she pressed against his arousal more. Harry pushed the material of the shirt off of her shoulders and she hastily pulled her arms free of it, throwing it to the floor as he moved his kisses over her chin and down the creamy expanse of her neck, the five o'clock shadow on his chin causing a delightful friction against her soft, sensitive skin.

He licked and kissed her flushed skin as he moved his head towards her heaving chest. He ran his tongue along the line where the skin and the lace of her underwear met, briefly dipping it under the material as his hands smoothed up her back, found the fastener and opened it. He allowed her to shrug herself free of the bra, pulling his head back slightly to drink in the sight of her. His fingers lazily traced the swell of her right breast as he moved them up over the soft mound and brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple. He heard her moan at the sensation and repeated the motion before leaning back in and covering the hardened peak with his hot carnal mouth.

He teased her flesh with his lips, teeth and tongue, the feel of her hands running softly through his hair as she sighed his name urging him to continue. He lavished the same attention on her other breast before kissing his way back to her mouth. His hands were in her hair as he guided them both back down to the mattress, revelling in the feel of her bare chest pressing against his own.

Harry moved quickly, rolling them over and pinning her beneath him. He continued his assault on her body, following the red trails he had previously left on her skin as he worked his way lower. By the time he reached the top of her underwear, Ruth was writhing under him with pleasure and frustration. Taking pity on her, he hooked his fingers under the waistband and slowly began to peel the material from her. Harry removed them completely before trailing his hand along the silky skin of her leg as he settled himself between them. He gently blew a breath across her heated centre and chuckled when her hips bucked and she swore in a low, guttural voice.

He licked the flesh of her inner thigh in an agonisingly slow motion as he inched his way towards her core. His name was torn from her lips at the first touch of his tongue against her clitoris; he flicked his tongue over the engorged nub lightly before exploring her folds. Harry could feel she was getting close, the taste of her in his mouth intoxicated him and he increased the pressure of his licks, wanting to push her over the edge into oblivion.

Her body shook with the force of her orgasm and Harry moved to lay beside her, holding her close and whispering his love for her as she regained some of her composure. Ruth pulled his head to hers and swept her tongue into his mouth forcefully: she could taste herself faintly as their mouths moved together in a passionate kiss. She grasped him to her and rolled on to her back. Taking his cue from her, Harry positioned himself over her, entering her slowly as their gazes locked. He closed his eyes briefly as he let the feeling of her slick heat wash over him. Opening them again, he started to thrust, keeping the pace as unhurried as he could manage despite knowing how close he was.

The air was filled with the sounds of their bodies meeting and their murmurs of affection and encouragement. Harry could feel the tell tale signs of his own release coming and moved his hand between their bodies, his thumb circling over her and pushing her into orgasm again. Her gentle cry of pleasure and the feel of her contracting around him triggered his own release and he followed her over the edge.

Ruth cradled his head against her neck and toyed with the soft damp curls of his hair as he relaxed against her. She kissed his temple and muttered soothing words of love and devotion. She felt him smile against her skin, and an answering grin found its way on to her face as she tightened her arms around him. Harry wasn't sure how long they had lain entwined together, exhausted but uncontrollably happy. They had eventually moved apart and rolled under the covers, falling asleep in the protective circle of each others arms.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Thanks to Em and Gems._**

**_The plot has finally started! Only took me 15 chapters..._**

Ruth sighed contentedly as she felt Harry run his fingers through her hair. She was sprawled across the couch with her head resting on his lap and just allowed herself to enjoy the moment. She couldn't remember a time when she had been happier or more relaxed. They had finally admitted how they felt about each other and Ruth couldn't help the goofy grin that formed on her face as she thought about how they had spent the previous evening. She ached in places she had forgotten about but couldn't have cared less; Harry had made her feel like no-one had before and had proved himself to be quite the stud.

"What are you grinning about?" she heard him mutter from above her. She had been that engrossed in her thoughts of him that she hadn't noticed him watching her intently.

Rolling her head back slightly, she looked at him, a mischievous smile playing about her lips. "You."

"Oh yes? Care to tell me what exactly?" he asked and chuckled when he saw her blush instantly. "Ah, so it was a less than wholesome thought. Now I really want to know."

"Harry, most of my thoughts about you are less than wholesome."

"Really?" he tried not to sound too pleased at her admission but failed miserably.

"Yes but I'm not going into details so don't ask!"

Harry lowered his head to hers, stopping millimetres from her lips. His warm breath washed over her lips making them tingle as he spoke.

"I could always make you talk, you know," he said in a low, almost dangerous voice.

His words caused a flash of heat to go through her entire body and she found herself praying that he would follow through on his implied threat. She wasn't disappointed when he began his interrogation, claiming she would be at his mercy in no time.

* * *

"Have we turned anything up from surveillance?" 

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Helen answered.

"We're fairly sure they're legit, everything checks out fine and if the amount of sex they have is anything to go by I'd say they're most definitely a couple," Emma exchanged an amused glance with Helen before she handed the photographs over to Caroline.

"Thanks for your hard work. I'll pass the pictures around just in case anyone here knows her from her previous charity work in Leeds, you never know. In the mean time, I need you two to pick Jan up and get things moving at the farm."

Emma and Helen nodded and left to follow their instructions, leaving Caroline with the pictures of Ruth and Harry. She sat at her desk and leafed through the various shots of the couple in question, there didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary but she wasn't about to take any chances. Noting the time, she hastily gathered her bag and left for her meeting, the surveillance shots momentarily forgotten.

* * *

Harry reached over the table and covered her small fidgeting hands with one of his own. 

"What's wrong Ruth?" his gentle question and the touch of his hand making her look up from where she had watched her hands fiddle with her knife and fork.

"Nothing," she lied and smiled weakly at him.

"I don't believe you" he stated levelly and she knew that he wouldn't leave her alone until she told him what was wrong.

She realised that now was probably not the best time to bring the issue up but she needed to know; the uncertainty was really starting to get to her. She was unbelievably happy at finally being able to be intimate with Harry. They had even both admitted how they felt but not once had the issue of what would happen after the operation finished been raised. She was probably being ridiculous - it was unlikely that he was going to declare his feelings for her and then take them back once they got back to the real world – but, the longer it went unsaid, the more the idea festered in her mind, until she had almost convinced herself that it would happen that way. She tortured herself by trying to imagine what life on the Grid would be like if she had to go back to keeping her distance from him all the while knowing the things he could do to her with those hands.

"Ruth," he prompted again when it appeared she had got lost in her thoughts.

With a slight sigh and aware that she would probably end up sounding stupid, she tried to explain her thoughts "I was just thinking really…about what will happen when the operation is over."

Momentarily baffled as to why she sounded so sad about the operation ending, Harry tried to fill in the blanks. He caught the worried glance she sent in his direction and it dawned on him what she was thinking.

"When all this is over, I'll still be in love with you. I'll still want to hold your hand and have dinner with you and do all the other wonderful things we have been able to do these last couple of days. Is that what you're worried about? That I'm going to change my mind when we go back to work?"

The slight nod of her head told him he had been right and he cursed himself for not talking to her about this sooner, . he He moved from his seat opposite her and crouched at the side of her chair, taking her hands in his once more.

"I want to be with you Ruth. When all this is over, I want you in my life and by my side for the rest of my days."

Leaning up, he pressed his lips against hers gently, slanting them over hers repeatedly in soft, sensual kisses. She happily lost herself in his kissestouches, relieved they had spoken and looking forward to a future together. She was aware there were times it wouldn't be easy but she was determined not to let anything come between them.

* * *

"Who's that?" Gem asked as she noted the pictures sprawled over the desk. Leaning closer, she picked up one of the pictures and looked at the couple photographed holding hands " Bloody hell, I haven't seen her in ages." 

"You know Jessica then?" asked Caroline casually

"Jessica? Who's Jessica? That's Ruth. Ruth Evershed." Gem was unaware of Caroline's sudden interest - she was distracted by the sight of her old friend.

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. I went to uni with her. I had the biggest crush on her. I'm not likely to mix her up with anyone else."

"Must have my wires crossed, getting names mixed up in my old age," Caroline said dismissively, her hand already moving towards the phone.

It was only when she had left the office that Gemma wondered why Caroline had photographs of her old college friend and an older man on her desk. Shrugging when she couldn't think of a reason, she dismissed the thought and went back to her office.

"We've got a problem." Caroline stated

Victoria Hightower took little pleasure in the fact that her suspicions had been confirmed. In fact, she felt an all consuming rage take over her body. They had spent a long time planning this attack and she wasn't about to let anything or anyone get in the way of their ultimate goal.

"Leave it to me. I'll find out what, if anything, they know. Then I'll make damn sure they can never tell anyone else about it."

Tbc...


	16. Chapter 16

_**Thanks to Em x **_

* * *

He watched with some amusement as she hurriedly threw herself off the bed and dashed out of the bedroom door, the tails of his shirt flapping behind her. He could smell the burnt toast from his position on the bed but made no effort to move from his comfortable, warm spot. Frankly, the house could burn down and he wouldn't have cared, all he was interested in was her returning to the bedroom quickly and finishing what she had started. A few minutes later, she padded back into the room with an adorably sheepish grin on her face and announced that breakfast was off the menu.

"Bugger the toast, come back to bed" was the reply she got and, laughing at his petulant tone, she made her way back to him. Climbing in beside him and smoothing her hand over his chest, she began to kiss him until all thoughts of burnt toast and anything else disappeared from their minds.

---

Ruth was in the shower when Harry took the phone call from Matthew Hightower inviting him over for a drink that afternoon. He waited until she came out of the bathroom, steam bellowing behind her as she opened the door, to tell her about it. Harry knew she was still wary about Victoria Hightower, especially since they had been watched closely over the previous few days; however he also knew that any chance to get further information had to be taken. As he had predicted, she hadn't been thrilled at the prospect - not that she had said anything she knew it was their job to do these things, but her tense posture had given her away.

"I'll be fine Ruth" he offered reassuringly as he pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on the side of her head." It's been a long time since I've had anyone to worry about me" he murmured against her skin.

She moved her head slightly so that she could look him in the eye as she spoke "No, it's not. I always worried about you" she admitted quietly. Her words touched him and he leant down and brushed his lips lightly over hers, kissing her agonisingly slowly until she clutched him to her and deepened the kiss.

In between kisses, he muttered his love for her and she extracted a promise from him that he would be careful. It was the best he could offer and she was placated by his insistent kisses and the feel of his body pressed along hers.

---

By the time Harry had to leave to go and meet Hightower, they were both far more relaxed than they had been previously. Ruth had settled herself on the couch with a book in his absence, hoping that she would be able to escape into a fictional world and not spend the entire time he was gone worrying about what might be happening. The trick seemed to be working until she was dragged from her reading by the sound of the telephone ringing.

"Hello?"

"Ruth. Is Harry there?" It was Adam, sounding slightly stressed. She could hear the hum of the Grid in the background and pictured him walking across the office.

"No. He went to have drinks with Hightower. What's wrong?"

"He's already there? That's good actually. We need to bring Hightower and his wife in. Malcolm just found some encrypted files in the stuff you downloaded from his computer. There are details of a number of abortion clinics across London, two of which have a direct link with Victoria Hightower."

"What's the link?"

"Both clinics are run by the same Doctor. Dr. Bradbury performed an abortion on Victoria Hightower when she was 15. Due to complications she ended up being left sterile and she blames him for it. She was arrested about a year after her procedure, for criminal damage after she wrote 'baby killer' on the side of Bradbury's house in red paint. After that, she was thought to be behind a number of incidents both at the clinic where he then worked and his home address, but there was never enough proof. After a couple of years, it all died down, probably due to her going away to university which is where she met up with Caroline Steadman."

"Current President of Save the Unborn" Ruth concluded.

"One and the same." He confirmed "Caroline Steadman has gone off the radar; our best bet at the moment is bringing Victoria and Matthew Hightower in for questioning before something happens."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Contact Harry and tell him the situation. I'll send over a team to help bring them in. I don't think Matthew Hightower has a clue what his wife is involved in but better to be safe than sorry. I'll speak to you later."

"Ok" Ruth ended the call and picked up her mobile to ring Harry. She noticed that her hands were shaking slightly as she fumbled with the buttons on the phone. A feeling of dread had settled in her stomach like lead since she had spoken with Adam. A feeling that only got worse when no matter how many times she tried Harry's number, the automated voice on the line told her that the phone she was ringing was switched off.

----

Meanwhile, Harry sipped his whiskey slowly as he and Hightower sat in the study discussing nothing in particular. So far the afternoon had been incredibly dull and Harry was trying not to wish that he was back at the house with Ruth. As much as spending the time with her would be a lot more fun, it wasn't likely to lead them any closer to finding out any information on the terror groups plans.

They had spent the best part of an hour in the study when the sound of a car pulling up the driveway interrupted their conversation. Harry looked out of the window briefly as he watched Victoria Hightower drive past slowly. He turned his attention back to his host when Hightower started speaking again and, as a result, missed the three figures that walked quickly up the drive behind the vehicle.

Harry was unprepared for the blow that caught him on the side of the head immediately after Victoria Hightower walked into the room. He fell to the floor, landing in an unconscious heap on the carpet. A warm stream of blood seeped from the gash near his temple, trickling down the side of his face and into his hair.

Matthew Hightower stood in shock as he watched the scene before him.

"That's what happens to spies" she told an unconscious Harry before she kicked him hard. "Bastard," she muttered before turning her attention to her husband.

Emma found the phone in Harry's pocket and threw it into the goldfish bowl on the study table. Between them the women managed to drag a still unconscious Harry from the room. It was hard work but eventually they had him bundled into the back of the Land Rover. They waited for Victoria to join them before they set off from the house, the man in the boot of the car totally unaware of the danger he now found himself in.

* * *

_**Please review :) **_


	17. Chapter 17

**_I should probably warn you guys that the next couple of chapters are likely to have violence in...nothing more than you would get on the show._**

**_Thanks to Em for the beat and the help x_**

* * *

Ruth shivered as she walked along the corridor and made her way towards the study. She could hear a muffled sound coming from that direction and headed towards it with trepidation. She was extremely aware that she had just entered a house where she believed a dangerous person, if not persons, to be without a weapon or any personal protective equipment. Her only thought on arrival had been getting to Harry as quickly as she could.

Ruth took a deep breath as she inched the door open further and moved slowly into the room. Two things hit her instantly as she surveyed the scene; the first was the man handcuffed to the radiator. Matthew Hightower was on the floor in front of the white metal, his left arm attached to it by a steel cuff. He was gagged and she briefly registered that the muffled sound she had heard had been his stifled cries for help. The second thing she had noticed was the small smear of fresh blood in the centre of the room. Bending down to touch it, she noted that it was still warm but a little sticky, as if whoever had lain there had not long since been moved from the room.

Warily, she made her way to where Hightower was secured and bent down in front of him.

"I'm going to remove the gag but not the cuffs. I don't have time for games so answer my questions quickly and truthfully and I'll do my best to get you out of here. Do you understand?"

She waited until she had seen the short nodding motion of his head before reaching up and pulling the material free from his mouth. Hightower gulped air into his lungs greedily, the sound of his deep breaths filling the room for a few seconds as she allowed him to regain some small amount of composure.

"Where is H...James?" Harry's name had almost escaped her but she caught herself at the last second. If this was some sort of set up, she didn't want to reveal their real identities to anyone involved.

"I don't know where they took him."

"Who's 'they'?"

"My wife, she uh, God I've no idea what has got in to her. One minute things were fine and the next she was calling James a spy and hitting him over the head with something."

"Was he, was he hurt?" she had seen the blood and had known it must be his, but didn't want her fears confirming.

"He was unconscious but I'm pretty sure he was still breathing. There was a bit of blood and I saw three of them carry him out of the room. I've no idea what's going on or where they have taken him. How are you involved in all of this?"

Ruth looked at the man in front of her sternly before reaching up and securing his gag back into place. Standing up, she pulled her mobile phone from her pocket and called Adam.

She explained the situation to him as quickly and as concisely as she could.

"What do I do Adam?"

"Listen Ruth, you're on your own for now. You are Harry's best hope. One of the devices went off at a clinic in North London 20 minutes ago. Three confirmed dead so far but I'm sure the body count will be much higher. Save the Unborn has just claimed responsibility for the blast and have said the next one is scheduled to go off in four hours. It's all hands on deck here to find that next device. You can help. I'll get Malcolm to try and track Harry's phone and I need you to get as much information from Hightower as possible. I'll send a back-up team as soon as I can to bring him in for proper interrogation but you could save us all some time."

"Oh God. I'm not sure I can…"

"Hightower is our only lead to these bombs and to Harry. I need you to be strong Ruth. Start slowly but make sure he knows that this is not a game. You're in control, don't forget it."

Ruth ended the call to Adam and turned to look at Hightower, she really didn't want to do this but Harry was injured and had been taken to some undisclosed location for God only knew what purpose. Her mind clung to the thought that innocent people had already died today and more would if they didn't find the next device in time. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. She had made her choice. She moved over to the desk and looked for something that she might be able to use as a weapon. Stumbling across a letter opener, and assessing that it was 'kind of pointy' and better than nothing at all, she picked it up.

Hightower watched her warily as she walked back towards him. He had no idea who this woman was but he was certain that she wasn't a librarian as she had previously claimed. Trying to appear intimidating, Ruth remained standing and leant over where he was slumped.

"I want you to understand that I'm not a violent person by nature. I'm going to ask you some questions but believe me when I tell you that if I think you're lying to me I'm not going to hesitate to 'help' you remember the truth. Do you follow me?" Ruth tried to make her tone as forceful as she could; time was of the essence and she really didn't want to have to play games. She saw Hightower nod and carried on. "Good. As long as you tell me what I want to know, we'll get on fine."

"Your wife is involved with a group called Save the Unborn, tell me what you know about it," she ordered.

"It's a charity; I think we donated some money to them. Victoria and I have strong views on abortion and we both support their campaigning. What the hell is going on? I don't understand what all this is about. Who are you?"

"I work for the Security Service. What's going on is that your wife is involved with a group that just blew up a building. The body count is increasing by the minute and we're trying to find the next one before it goes off in less than five hours."

"Bombs? I, I don't understand, she wouldn't do that. No, you have to be wrong about her being involved."

"She's goes around knocking people out often then does she? That's normal behaviour is it?" her voice grew louder as she asked the questions, she didn't have time to convince him about who was involved, she needed information.

"A little girl died. She was four – where does that stand with your morals on abortion?" her gamble seemed to pay off as she saw the horror pass over his face at her words. Ruth kept pushing him, "She is deeply involved; you're handcuffed to a radiator for God's sake! Do you have any idea who she is working with and where they might be headed right now?"

"There were three women who helped her drag him out of here. I've never seen any of them before, I swear."

"Where were they taking him, did they say anything at all?"

"I don't know." He sighed and tried to replay the events in his minds eye. "Wait, someone mentioned a barn. I'm sure they did…something about the barn being ready or something like that."

"A barn, well that narrows it down I suppose"

"There's an old farm near where Victoria grew up which she used to love to go and visit as a child. I bought it for her last year with the intention of getting it done up. It has a couple of barns, I think."

"Where is it?"

Hightower gave her the address and she phoned into Adam with the information. She was surprised when he told her to wait at the house with Hightower and immediately protested.

"Adam, you said it yourself that we need to find her and Harry fast. This is the only lead we have on their location so far. I'm going and that's it. For all we know the farm I'm going to is the wrong one, don't waste manpower by sending others out there."

"Fine. Leave Hightower where he is. I want you to check in every hour Ruth; we don't need you going off radar too."

"I know, I'll be fine, I'll let you know when I get there." Ending the phone call, she could feel the adrenalin starting to pump through her body again and her mouth became incredibly dry. She looked around the study and tried to find something that she might be able to take with her as a weapon. The letter opener may have helped to intimidate Hightower but she doubted it would be enough to take on a group of at least four terrorists.

"You're going to check it out on your own?" Hightower asked incredulously "Are you crazy?"

"I will be if anything has happened to him," she muttered distractedly.

"There is a gun upstairs at the back of the wardrobe. Victoria doesn't know I have one, she hates guns…take it with you, for protection. Please don't hurt…it doesn't matter," he trailed off dejectedly, still warring with the love he felt for his wife and the knowledge of the terrible mess she was caught up in.

"Thank you. I have to leave you here and cuffed nothing personal. Someone will arrive soon and take you to Thames House. There'll be more questions but they know you're not directly involved."

Nodding his understanding to her, he told her to leave, leaning back against the radiator as he watched her flee from the room. Ruth was upstairs and had located the hand gun and some ammunition in a matter of minutes. She loaded the weapon, checked the safety catch was on and ran back downstairs and out of the house altogether. She started the car and drove away from the house as fast as she could, not caring about the speed limit or how many cameras she set off.

* * *

Harry jerked awake as he felt the ice cold water engulf his body; he spluttered slightly and tried to open his eyes. The pounding in his head was not eased by the bright glare of spot lamps as he finally managed to co-ordinate his thoughts long enough to get his eyes to open. He blinked rapidly and became aware that he couldn't move his hands or legs. From previous experience, he realised he was probably tied to a chair. It was definitely rope that bound him to the furniture; he could feel it biting into his wrists as he tried to shuffle slightly. Willing himself to relax and ease the pressure of the rope slightly, he tried to focus on his surroundings and was vaguely aware of someone standing in the shadows watching him.

TBC


	18. Chapter 18

_**This chapter has scenes of a violent nature so please don't read it if you are easily offended or upset.**_

**_Big thanks to Emma, Helen and Gemma for all their help - I couldn't do it without you guys :-)_**

She could just make out the farmhouse in the distance and pulled the car off the road and down a dirt track to her left. She didn't cut the engine until she was certain that she wouldn't be seen from the road. The rest of the journey would have to be on foot now: she didn't want to alert anyone to her arrival in case that put Harry in even more danger. Ruth was out of the car in an instant, she walked at as brisk a pace as she could manage in the direction of the farm. Her journey was impeded by the fact it was pitch black and she had no clue where in the hell she actually was. She was keenly aware of the fact that she was on her own - fear gripped her body momentarily and she found she was unable to get her feet to move. Images of Harry flooded her mind and she pushed her fear down: she was here to help him and she intended to do just that.

Harry glared at the woman in front of him. The knife didn't particularly bother him; he had been in this situation before he knew that he needed to focus on trying to find a way out of here. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of seeing fear in his face. Many others had tried, and failed, to get him to talk in the past; he wasn't about to give in to some crazy, posh woman.

"So _James_, do you think the leg," she drew the tip of the knife across the top of his thigh as she spoke, "or the chest first?"

When he didn't reply, she moved the knife to his chest and between two of the buttons. Flicking the blade upwards, she ripped a number of buttons off, leaving the shirt to gape open slightly. She moved the tip of the knife to Harry's chest and he could feel the first pricks of pain from the slight pressure she was applying. Harry didn't flinch as she drew the knife quickly across his flesh in a diagonal line, but he could feel the blood begin to trickle down his torso as she moved the knife to rest below his left nipple.

He tried to focus on the nicest image he could think of to keep his mind from the white hot pain the shallow cuts were causing. His mind instantly went to the image of Ruth earlier that morning. He had awoken to find her wandering back into the bedroom wearing nothing but his shirt - she really had taken a shine to wearing it and it made him smile to see her in it. She was a sight to behold. Still dishevelled from sleep, hair everywhere and a soft, yet incredibly sexy, smile on her face as she noticed he was awake. Their love making had been slow and deliberate and he channelled his energy in to remembering the way the shirt clung to her body as she moved over him.

Harry had stopped counting the number of cuts Victoria had made; his lack of a reaction was beginning to anger her. She took a step back from him and looked at her handiwork as she spoke to him.

"I don't think your wife will look as attractive when I do the same to her. Ruth…such a pretty name, shame she won't stay that way for long." Turning, she shouted to the three women stood in the corner, "go and fetch her."

-----------------------

Ruth was breathing hard as she made her way over the rough terrain towards the farm. Cocking her head to the side, she stopped and listened. She was sure she had just heard a door slam. The pounding of her heart was her only companion for a second, before she heard to unmistakable sound of a car engine starting. Moving quickly, Ruth clambered through the mud and threw herself down behind a small, dry-stone wall. She pressed herself against it and waited for the sweep of the headlights to pass over her location before popping her head up and looking for the vehicle. She could see the taillights of the 4x4 as it drove away from her and the farm. Realising that this was probably her best opportunity of sneaking into the farm undetected, she said a brief prayer, climbed over the wall and started to jog towards the farm entrance.

She was soon at the gateway and, removing the gun from the back of her jeans, she began to slowly make her way down the drive. The process was infuriatingly slow as she moved quietly, making sure to sweep the possible vantage points a look out may be posted at. Growing bolder as she neared the farmhouse, she moved assertively, fuelled by adrenalin and fear. In front of her she could make out two run down barns, the one to her left was in darkness and appeared empty. The one to her right was partially illuminated and she thought it was logical that was where Harry would be. Ruth approached the barn cautiously, all too aware of the danger that could lie within. She didn't fancy crashing straight in through the main doors and set off to find an alternative way in.

Ruth inched her way slowly through the gap in the side door, holding her breath as the door creaked slightly as she moved. She could hear Victoria Hightower's voice and her blood ran cold as she realised what the other woman was talking about.

"I think we still have a little bit of time to play James," she spat his name out as if it offended her sensibilities. "Your little girlfriend will be here soon and I want to make an impression for her."

Ruth crouched down; using some hay bails for cover she crawled her way along the back of the room, gripping the gun tightly in her hand. She could feel the sweat trickling down her back as she moved and she had to bite her lip hard to stifle the sob that threatened to overwhelm her as she came to a stop and got her first glimpse of Harry. She could see the bloodstains on his clothing and cuts on his chest; she choked down the retch that threatened to overwhelm her and gripped the cold metal of the gun harder between both hands.

She watched in horror as Victoria Hightower lunged towards Harry with the knife. Ruth wasn't aware she had moved at all until the echo of the gunshot reverberated throughout the barn.

_----------------------------_

Harry watched the scene before him play out as if it was in slow motion. He saw the flash of metal as the knife lunged towards him and tried to brace himself for the pain he was sure would come. Movement to his left caught his attention and he saw Ruth emerge from behind a stack of hay. A small amount of relief swept over him but it was short lived as he felt the searing pain of the knife blade sinking into the soft flesh of his thigh. He wasn't sure if he cried out at the sensation of it or not because he was temporarily deafened by the boom of a shot being fired.

Victoria Hightower was too engrossed in carrying out her torturous deeds to notice that she and Harry were no longer alone. She took pleasure in hearing the cry of pain her actions caused until it suddenly hit her that the cries of pain were coming from her own mouth. The agonising pain was coursing through her own veins and not that of her intended victim. She clutched a hand to her shoulder and was shocked to feel warm, sticky blood oozing from it at an alarming rate. She didn't notice she was on the floor until she saw the blur of a figure looming over her; the room coming in and out of focus as she tried desperately to cling onto consciousness.

_----------------------------_

Ruth didn't think and didn't feel as she took aim and squeezed the trigger slowly just as Colin had showed her all those months before. At the time she had felt ridiculous, but now she was grateful for his gentle teaching. She knew she had hit the place she was aiming for and felt a small surge of satisfaction as the other woman stumbled to the ground. Ruth stood frozen for a second before her brain kicked in again and she swung her gaze to Harry. She rushed over and knelt in front of him. She tried not to look at the knife still projecting from his leg. She needed to focus on getting them both out of there and reached down to untie his legs.

"Are you ok?" she asked as her hands worked on the knots of the rope that bound him to the chair.

"Yes. Just a few flesh wounds I think."

"Is there anyone else here Harry?"

His hands and legs were free now and he moved a slightly shaky hand to the knife handle, grunting as he wrapped his hand around it.

"No. They left to get you. They won't be long so we need to get out of here fast." He winced as he spoke. "Find me something to use as a bandage" he instructed and she didn't have time to protest before he carefully began to slide the knife out of his flesh, careful to maintain the angle it went in at so as not to cause himself anymore damage. Ruth cast her eye about the room hoping to find something to wrap around his wound. Finding nothing useful, she looked down at herself and quickly removed the scarf from around her neck and knelt in front of him again. She lifted his leg slightly and slid the material under it, wrapping it around his thigh as best she could and tying it tightly to keep pressure on the wound. Ruth could see that he was pale and shaky from his ordeal but smiled when he tried to give her a grin.

"Is she still alive?" he asked moving his head towards where Victoria Hightower was sprawled. She wasn't moving but Ruth moved over to where she lay cautiously: she had seen far too many films not to. The blood seeping onto the floor indicated that if she was still breathing she would need medical attention in a hurry. Ruth bent down to feel for a pulse just as the distinct sound of a vehicle approaching could be heard.

Ruth moved back across to where Harry was hurriedly trying to stand. Moving to his side, she pulled his arm around her shoulders and together they stumbled as fast as they could from the barn.

Tbc...


	19. Chapter 19

**_Thanks Em x_**

Together, they stumbled from the barn and out into the cold night air. They could hear the vehicle drawing nearer to the farm and had no other choice than to head for the small bank of trees a short distance away. Harry grunted in pain with each hurried step they took but they managed to reach the cover of the trees quicker than either of them had expected. There was no time to stop moving as the sweep of headlights briefly passed over the driveway, illuminating their path for a few seconds. Neither Ruth nor Harry spared a thought for the woman that had been left bleeding to death inside the barn: if anything there was a small hope that the others would be distracted long enough by her injuries to allow them to escape.

They had managed to put a fair bit of distance between themselves and the house before they stopped to catch their breath. Harry steadied himself against a tree as Ruth moved away from him to check on his leg wound. A small patch of his blood was beginning to show through the makeshift bandage, their constant movement making the scarf loosen slightly. She retied the knot, anxious to keep enough pressure on it to stem the flow of blood. Moving back up his body, she reached for his shirt, wanting to check on the gashes on his chest. Harry caught her hands in his free one, causing her to pause and look at him.

"They're fine for now. It's more important that we get out of here and contact Adam." He smiled at her gently to show her that he was alright. He was disappointed when she removed her hands from his and took a step back from him.

"We're going the wrong way really. My car is about a mile south east of the farm, hidden down a track. I would imagine that they'll be keeping an eye out for us on the roads but if we can get there avoiding the main road we might be able to get out of here and back to London quickly."

"Or we could just ring them to come and get us."

Noting the sheepish expression on her face at the mention of her phone, Harry took a wild guess at what she had done.

"It's in the car isn't it?"

"Well I didn't want to lose it. Nor did I want it to start ringing. We'd have both been tied to a bloody chair if that had happened," she snapped quietly.

"Ruth." He sighed her name quietly before limping towards her. His hands came to rest on her shoulders as he forced her to look at him "Its ok. We'll figure something out, together. Like we always do. Ok?" He waited for her to nod in agreement before he carried on speaking.

"We need to keep moving, I'm not sure if we're being followed or not but I don't fancy standing here waiting to be found. We'll have to cut across the fields and try to get to the car before they do."

"What about your leg?"

"Don't worry, it's still attached. You won't have to carry me."

"It's not funny Harry. You could have been killed. There's a chance we both might still be, so we should probably get a move on."

He looked at her intently for a moment before nodding once and slipping his arm around her shoulders once more. They set off again, moving carefully through the narrowing copse of trees, coming to a halt at the spot where the edge of the wooded area met with a vast expanse of fields. There wasn't much to see, just a lot of dark night and wide open space. They were both aware that they would be more exposed in the fields and neither really fancied stumbling through the open land but they really didn't have much of a choice: going back the way they came was not an option. Tightening his arm around her shoulders, he led them both into the open.

Using the farmhouse as a point of reference, they moved in a direction parallel to the one that Ruth had taken earlier. Harry felt a slight smile tug at the corners of his mouth as he heard Ruth counting the number of steps they were taking under her breath; she really had shown herself to be a formidable field agent today. He had been right when he had asserted she was a born spook all those months ago. He wisely decided not to tell her that right at that moment, . Sensing the internal emotional conflict she was warring with, he didn't think that his compliment would be well received.

They changed direction after walking as near to a mile as they could discern and began to head in the direction of the road. The uphill slog across the rough terrain was beginning to take its toll on Harry and his injured leg. His whole body trembled with every step that they took and it was now only gritted teeth and stubbornness making him repeatedly putting one foot in front of the other. He groaned at the sight of a wall approaching, the last thing he wanted was to have to climb over it, but he knew he would do it. There was little alternative.

"Lets rest a minute by the wall." Her whispered words were the first that had been spoken since they left the cover of the trees.

He was grateful to her for suggesting it and suspected that she knew how much pain he was in, despite his attempts to conceal it. Ruth helped lower Harry to the ground, his back against the wall for support, before she moved to sit at the side of him. Drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, she stared out moodily into the night.

Harry knew what she was doing, he knew she was closing herself off, hastily erecting walls in a sense of self preservation. He also knew, without a shadow of doubt, that it was the wrong thing to let happen her do. He had been in this position before, had pushed away those who cared for him, had pushed the pain and the raw emotions deep within himself in the hopes that they would never resurface and he was still damaged from doing that. He was not about to let her make the same mistakes. Not on his watch.

"Thank you," he whispered to her

"Don't Harry." He heard the tremor in her voice as she spoke. "Please don't thank me for that Harry. I c-can't stand it"

Angling his body towards her as much as his injuries would allow, Harry reached out and placed his hand on top of hers. He shook of the quick flash of hurt when she tried to pull away and gripped her hand tighter.

"You saved my life. Don't ask me not to thank you for that. She was going to kill me. There's no doubt in my mind that she would have killed you too, given the chance. You need to remember that Ruth."

Ruth felt the hot sting of the tears as they started to roll down her cold cheeks but made no attempt to stop them from falling.

"Please don't shut me out Ruth. I know that's what you want to do right now, I've been there and I've done that and believe me it's not a good thing to do. It cost me my family in the end. I can't let it come between us. I need you."

She managed to choke out his name before covering her mouth with her free hand in order to stifle the sob that was torn from her. Unresisting, she collapsed into his embrace and let him hold her close as she cried silently. Harry held her tight to him, despite the pain it caused him, relieved that she was letting some of the emotion and hurt out. He knew they couldn't sit like this forever, but she deserved a moment of comfort no matter what else was going on. Almost as if she read his thoughts, Ruth pulled back from him, scrubbed the tears from her face and smiled at him weakly.

"We can't stay here Harry. We need to get moving again." She reached for his hand and squeezed it gently as she continued. "I won't shut you out, I promise. I, I need you too."

Her quiet yet sincere words were enough for him and he squeezed her hand briefly in return, letting her know he understood.

"Come on then. Help an injured old man off the floor and we'll start walking again."

Despite some initial balance issues, they both managed to make it over the wall in one piece and headed off into the night once more. It took them almost another hour to reach the road and they approached cautiously, both alert and looking for the place to cross that would cause them the least exposure.

"Ruth." She turned to look at him. "Head towards that hedge. I can wait there, hidden, if you can get a bit closer to the road and see if the coast is clear. Then we can cross and go find the car. I don't like asking you to do it but it'll take me much longer in this state."

"It's ok Harry. I'll do it."

"Good then."

A few minutes later, Ruth left Harry hidden by the hedge and crept towards the roadside. She moved in a crouched position, keeping as low to the ground as she could manage in order to make herself a harder target to spot. She came to a halt yards from the road, looking to her left, she could see the farm in the distance. Scanning for any signs of activity, she was unaware of the movement behind her. The lone figure moved towards her with stealth and the first she was aware of the person's presence was when the gloved hand covered her mouth.

Tbc...


	20. Chapter 20

_**Em - you're a star.**_

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**_Ruth tried to scream, but the hand clamped firmly over her mouth reduced her effort to a muffled, nonsensical noise. Her eyes widened in fear as she realised that she couldn't move. Whoever her would be assailant was, they had wrapped a strong arm firmly around her upper body, trapping her arms so that she was unable to lash out. She was helpless to do anything but wriggle and kick as she was dragged back from the roadside. 

"Ruth, for God's sake stop struggling. It's me, Adam."

The words were spoken very quietly into her left ear. She would know the voice anywhere and although she relaxed briefly at the familiarity of it, she resolved to find the nearest tree branch and whack him with it for scaring her so much. Ruth allowed herself to be manoeuvred silently by him, and after a few minutes found that they were back at the hedge. Adam quickly released his hold on her and tried to dodge the punch that was aimed at his chest.

"Don't ever do that to me again," she ordered in a low measured tone and Adam took a step back from her.

"Bloody hell Adam, I said collect her not kidnap her!"

Adam held his palms up and tried to placate them both.

"Sorry, I was just being cautious in case we missed anyone."

"What do you mean?"

"Three women were found near your car Ruth; they are now being taken back to Thames House where a less than pleasant welcoming committee waits for their arrival. It seems that when you didn't check in as you were instructed to, that Malcolm tracked the position of your phone on GPS and sent a team to look for us."

"What about…"

"She's dead Ruth." Harry's eyes softened when he spoke, he tried to comfort her with it, knowing that now would not be an appropriate time to squeeze her hand or embrace her like he wanted to do.

Adam watched the exchange between them with interest, noting that something had changed. He didn't have time to speculate as to the nature of that change though; they still had to find the rest of the devices. Hopefully, that task would be much easier now that they had three suspects in custody; it was surely only a matter of time until one of them cracked.

Adam had used the journey back to Thames House to fill Harry in on everything that had happened operation-wise so far. He detailed the losses from the first two explosions and explained that the list of likely targets had been narrowed down and that teams were currently on the way to search some of the locations. Harry listened intently as they pulled into the underground parking area and gave Ruth's fingers a light squeeze before he removed his hand from hers.

"Find out everything these suspects know. I don't care what you have to do to get them to talk Adam, I do care that no more bombs go off across the country." He paused and waited for the blonde spook to nod before he continued. "Ruth and I are going straight to the medical suite, we'll be on the grid just as soon as I've been bandaged up."

There was a brief struggle as Harry tried to get out of the car without any help and almost fell out of the door and onto the concrete. He acquiesced slightly and allowed Adam to support him. This spectacle was followed by an adamant refusal to use the wheelchair that awaited him on their arrival, claiming that, although he might be injured, he could manage the short distance to the medical centre. His refusal was short lived however, when Ruth glared at him and stated that she wasn't about to carry him through Thames House. Harry muttered to himself and anyone that was listening about insubordination amongst his staff as they wheeled him through the building. Ruth waited until Adam had left them to return to the Grid before she turned questioningly to Harry.

"I didn't realise I was injured."

"You're not but I might need you to hold my hand, in case it hurts."

A soft laugh escaped her at his words and it sounded wonderful to his ears. The fact that she reached across and took his hand in hers pleasantly surprised him. He smiled at her genuinely when she didn't let go even when the Doctor started his examination of his wounds.

"I think there'll have to be a de-briefing later," she muttered distractedly as they patched him up.

"You might want to let him heal a bit first," the Dr. chimed in seriously. "Strenuous activities could rupture his stitches."

Harry tried not to laugh at the look on Ruth's face; he didn't think he'd seen anyone turn that particular shade of red before. Deciding to step in and save them all from further embarrassment, he addressed the Doctor.

"I don't think that's exactly what she was referring to Doctor, but thank you for the advice. If we're done here I would like to get back to work."

"Yes, you're free to go. I would like you to rest and give your body time to heal itself. I am aware from your medical history that that isn't about to happen anytime soon, but I need to know I tried. Here are your pain killers; I suspect you'll need them." He handed Harry a small bottle of tablets and headed for the door.

"Thank you for the advice?!" Ruth repeated to him a little incredulously as the door shut behind the doctor.

"Well what was I supposed to say? Don't worry Doctor I'm sure I'd cope with the pain?!"

Shrugging at him - since she could think of no appropriate response, she stood up and offered a hand to help him up.

"Pass me the bloody crutch then."

"Not even an argument – are you feeling quite alright Harry?!"

"Ha ha. Let's get this over with shall we? The quicker we get all this sorted the sooner we can have that de-briefing…and I don't mean the official one."

"Harry!"

She could hear him chuckling to himself as he limped towards the door.

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Back on the Grid, Harry and Ruth slipped effortlessly back into work mode. Whilst they were both exhausted and had had a rather traumatic day, both wanted to help in any way they could. Harry was ensconced in his office arguing with Special Branch when Ruth barged into the office to tell him the news.

"Adam just got two possible locations out of the suspects. Jo and Zaf are heading out to meet the teams on site and sweep for the devices."

"What about the other bombs?" he asked putting the phone down.

"They want to cut a deal. Well two of them do, the other one is remaining infuriatingly loyal. They'll detail the other locations as well as Save the Unborn's safe house – which is where Caroline Steadman is thought to be."

"Tell Adam to offer them whatever it takes, we can sort it out later. I want these bastards found before any more people die."

Nodding, Ruth headed for the door. Harry reached for the phone and dialled Juliet's extension: he had been putting off calling her for the last hour but supposed that now was as good a time as any to update her on the situation.

"Ruth," he waited for her to turn and face him, "if anyone dies – they get nothing. Juliet…"

He watched her leave and walk across the Grid as he listened to Juliet speak. He was less then thrilled when she demanded he come to her office as soon as the operation was finished to fill her in on all the details. Apparently, she would be briefing the Home Secretary on this one – Harry just knew that she was going to crow about being right from the start. He wasn't certain he had the energy to do battle with her but it seemed he had little choice.


	21. Chapter 21

**_This is the last chapter guys. I just want to say thank you to everyone that has helped out with it and read and reviewed, I really appreciate it._**

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Ruth slammed the book down onto the bed beside her and glanced sideways at the clock on her bedside table. _3:15_.

She had been home for almost two hours and her initial euphoria of walking into her own home and being surrounded by her own belongings had been short lived. The quiet emptiness of the house that had once offered her sanctuary after long working hours now only offered her slight despair. She was alone and had too much time to think. Her thoughts a swirling madness in her head, she tried to block them out but, no matter how she tried, she couldn't shake the sight of Victoria Hightower's limp and bloodied body from her mind.

Truth be told, she hadn't wanted to come home. Not alone anyway. The news that Caroline Steadman had been detained along with 5 other members of the terror group had been well received on the Grid. By the time Adam had returned after successfully finding and disarming the remaining devices Ruth had finished her de-brief of the operation and was trying not to fall asleep on her keyboard as she waited for Harry. Adam had taken one look at her and sent her home. She had protested, claiming that she needed to talk to Harry but, without spelling it out that they were now a couple, something which she was reluctant to do without first talking to Harry, there wasn't a great deal she could say to convince him. Before she knew what was happening, he had bundled her into the pods and walked her out to a waiting car.

"Adam, this is Harry's car."

"He won't mind. He can't go anywhere until he's spoken with Juliet anyway, so he won't even miss it. Go home and get some rest. I'll tell Harry you've gone home."

"Tell him…" she started, unsure of what message she was trying to give him. "Tell him…never mind..."

Shaking her head, she wordlessly climbed into the back of the car, offering him a weak smile as he shut the door for her. It wasn't until she was home and about to get into a hot bath that she realised she was still wearing the wedding ring. She twisted it around and around on her finger suddenly unsure of what to do about it. They weren't married but still the thought of taking it off pained her.

The shrill sound of the telephone ringing made her jump and a brief smile played about her lips as she reached for the handset. There weren't many people who would ring her at this time of the night.

"Hello"

"Hi." The sound of his voice was a wonderful comfort to her and some of the tension in her knotted stomach eased.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes." He chuckled briefly. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Yes…actually…no, I'm not…but I will be." She took a breath and changed the subject. "I, I tried to wait for you to get back from your meeting but Adam sent me home. I suppose I'd forgotten that we don't live together; I think I'd got used to it. Not that it's not nice to be home. I just…I just miss you is all."

"Ruth…" she loved the way he said her name "look out of the window."

"What?" She climbed out of bed and padded to the window anyway, despite her confusion.

"Just look."

Her breath caught and tears threatened to overwhelm her as she took in the figure stood leaning against her car. He waved at her as she peered around the curtain and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you going to let me in then? It's bloody freezing out here!"

Within minutes, she was downstairs and wrapped in his strong embrace. She closed her eyes and breathed him in, feeling the tension easing from her body as he held her close and planted small, gentle kisses on the side of her head. She turned her head and brushed her mouth against his. They kissed softly, lips slanting against one another in gentle, sensuous kisses. Ruth felt a familiar heat rush through her as Harry ran his tongue over her lips before sweeping it inside her mouth to tangle with her own.

Harry pulled back and rested his forehead against hers; he wanted nothing more than to sweep her off her feet and carry her to her bedroom but knew he was in no physical state to do so. There was more chance of Ruth carrying him up the stairs than the other way round. He chuckled at the thought and she looked at him in confusion.

"I was trying to think of a way to get you upstairs and was overcome by the image of _you_ carrying _me_ up them!"

Giggling, she shook her head at him. "How about I just walk up them and you can limp up at your own pace?!"

"Not very romantic is it?"

"Oh Harry, it's not how you get up the stairs that counts…," she shot him a flirtatious look, "it's what you do once you're up them that matters."

Turning on her heel, she left him stood at the foot of the stairs. She could feel his eyes on her and swayed her hips slightly more than was strictly needed. A large smile settled on her face as she heard him follow her. His hands on her waist surprised her and she squealed.

"Amazing how the body works…," he murmured in her ear, "all that pain has suddenly been replaced with something else thanks to you and your sexy pyjamas."

"Sexy?" Looking down she snorted "So fluffy plaid pyjamas turn you on do they?!"

"More what's under the pyjamas."

His hands snuck under the material of her pyjama top, his fingers brushing lightly over the soft skin he found there as he walked behind her and followed her into the bedroom. His fingers continued to explore her soft supple skin as he leant forward and placed a series of small nibbling kisses down her neck.

Without knowing how they ended up there, they landed on the bed a tangle of limbs. Their heated kisses interspersed with breathless moans of encouragement and whispers of love. Eager hands roamed newly exposed skin, lips travelled over heated flesh and before long they were entwined together, moving as one, lost in each other.

Sated and content, she lay in his protective embrace, her head rested against his shoulder as her fingers traced lazy patterns across his stomach. He flinched as she circled his belly button and her brief pause was followed by a look of amusement as she realised he was ticklish. An impish grin flickered at the corners of her mouth and she moved to repeat the action. His reflexes were quick and he managed to capture her wandering left hand in his before she completed her mischievous intentions. He shot her a smug look as he threaded his fingers through hers, which was replaced by a questioning gaze as he felt the pressure of the wedding band against his fingers.

"Oh, I, should have taken that off really." Her hurried whisper followed by a lowering of her eyes from his.

"Why didn't you?"

"I must have forgotten."

Harry released her hand from his grasp, placed one finger under her chin, tilting her head until his eyes locked with hers.

"Ruth," he gave a small smile of encouragement, "tell me the truth."

She was unable to lie to him; she wasn't even certain that she wanted to lie to him. A small part of her suddenly nervous and excited at the same time as she wondered where the conversation was headed.

"I didn't want to." Her soft spoken admission made him smile.

"Then don't."

"W-what do you..? Harry?!"

"I mean, if you want to, we could go and pick you out a real one."

"When?"

He laughed at the eager tone of her voice. "First thing tomorrow."

Her lips were warm and soft as she brushed them against his. He happily let her engage his mouth with sweet kisses, closing his eyes and basking in the simple joy of being with her in this moment. The kiss ended and he watched as her eyelashes fluttered open and revealed her soulful eyes.

"Is that a yes?"

Looking up at him from beneath her lashes, a playful smile tugged at her lips.

"You'll have to ask me again tomorrow."

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**_ That's all folks! A final review would be lovely x_**

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**_Coming soon...Smug Marrieds II_**


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